Thirteen Years Later
by CuddlyChristina
Summary: Official sequel to TBRTNW. As the title says, years have passed since the class trip, and it seems life is perfectly normal until Shuya encounters a familiar classmate. Could it put a strain on his marriage to Noriko? Or will he help her open her heart? *Complete*
1. Prologue

Author's note: This is the sequel you've been waiting for! But before we get to the actual story, this here's the prologue, giving you insight on what happened as the years had passed for the Shiroiwa junior high kids as they matured into adults.

Of course, it's a romantic comedy, but there might be some tense moments, as the main story involves Shuya coming across a familiar face from his junior high days. Could it put a strain on his marriage to Noriko? Or will he tell the girl he's already married, and encouraging her to find someone else to love?

All this and more...as time goes by whenever I get the opportunity to update it. That said, enjoy!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**The Prologue**

_The day before the class trip, Shuya Nanahara sang that 'Love was in the air' for him and his classmates, including his friend Yoshitoki Kuninobu._

_Indeed, it had happened, and as the class trip progressed, most of the classmates fell in love at first sight, while others that were dating at the time, strengthened their relationship with one another._

_But a sign of happiness and hope was also in the air: the government, which the sadistic, cruel Yonemi Kamon / Kinpatsu Sakamochi was a part of, was completely overthrown by a new one._

_The leader was a kind, diligent, and hardworking person who believed in a positive future for everyone and wanted to put an end to the violence that the old government had approved: The Program._

_His name was Shouichi Miyazaki, and it was also stated that he was a close friend of Yukie Utsumi's father, whose daughter believed there would be a end to the cruel happenings of the past._

_Miyazaki has also managed to allow rock music to be legal in Japan, and a boom of up and coming musicians, including Shuya, was on the rise._

_The otaku community was also greatly appreciated, and showcased brand new and popular pop idols, such as Bubblegum, an all-girl idol group with Kaori Minami as its main leader, and it was said on their first concert, Flip Side was their opening act._

_It also showcased the latest in video games, as well as cosplay and video game / anime conventions, which Mizuho Inada and Yoshio Akamatsu were very happy about._

_Miyazaki also thought that bisexual and homosexual people, like Sho Tsukioka, would be given a strong amount of respect, believing that they are also equal like heterosexual people._

_Replacing the Program was a daily news channel called Channel 5 J-News, which had Yuka Nakagawa working as a reporter and maintaining a bright a cheerful atmosphere._

_New and upcoming athletes were also given their big break, like Tadakatsu Hatagami and Yuichiro Takiguchi in baseball, Kazushi Niida in soccer, Haruka Tanizawa and Yumiko Kosaka in volleyball, Chisato Matsui in gymnastics, Yuji Kuramoto in boxing, and Shinji Mimura in basketball._

_The latest movies would also feature top stars like Takako Chigusa, who was voted as the 'Hottest New Star of 2004', and popular supermodels and gravure idols like Mitsuko Souma were frequently seen on ads for fragrances, magazines, and even fashion catalogues._

_There were also people fighting for a good cause, such as rallying against domestic violence, which Yuko Sakaki was doing to ensure that no family could be broken apart._

_Other fellow residents took up a job on doing what they liked doing best: for example, Noriko Nakagawa, who had a love for cooking, became a bakery chef, while Yoshimi Yahagi tended to the small children that attended a day care center that was nearby the orphanage where Ryoko Anno worked at._

_But there were some criminal organizations that may have managed to either stand their ground, like the Kiriyama Family, led by none other than Kazuo Kiriyama, or falter thanks to the police finding out about their shady doings._

_The year is now 2011; thirteen years have passed since the fateful school trip that brought the students more closer than before, and Shuya and Noriko Nanahara, were happily living with their first child, a daughter whom they named after Shuya and Yoshitoki's caretaker Ryoko._

_Today was the day the school play would start._

And that should do it! The first chapter will arrive soon, so be sure to review me anytime!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	2. The Class Play

Author's note: Ladies and gents, the story has finally started!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Chapter 1: The School Play**

Shuya Nanahara smiled confidently as he read the playbill. He knew his and Noriko Nanahara's daughter, whom they named after his caretaker from the orphanage, was the star of the play, and he knew they wouldn't miss out on it.

**Shiroiwa Elementary School Presents**

**Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs**

**Starring**

**Ryoko Nanahara as Snow White**

**Nobuyuki Kiriyama as The Prince**

**Yoko Kiriyama as The Queen**

**Kenichi Mimura as Doc**

**Ryoichi Kawada as Grumpy**

**Nami Yamamoto as Happy**

**Junpei Yamamoto as Sleepy**

**Atsuko Motobuchi as Bashful**

**Eiji Sugimura as Sneezy**

**Miwako Kuninobu as Dopey**

As Shuya and Noriko entered the auditorium, Noriko asked, "Do you notice anyone familiar from years ago? They are truly honored to be here too."

Shuya replied, "Of course. After all, some of them have their kids in the play as well." and smiled before he kissed her on the cheek, making her giggle.

As they took their seats, they noticed a handsome man with slicked back dark hair and a gorgeous woman with long black hair, both wearing black, which was somehow surprising considering that there was a bright, wonderful atmosphere. But then again, they thought they looked elegant in black.

Kazuo and Mitsuko Kiriyama briefly noticed Shuya and Noriko before Kazuo asked, "It's been a while, hasn't it? Thirteen years have passed and Japan's given a fresh start. Miyazaki is certainly a hero to many people."

This caused Shuya to notice and managed to shake his hand. "Wow, Kazuo, you have certainly grown!" he exclaimed with a big grin.

"Thank you." Kazuo replied with a soft smile.

"And so is Mitsuko. She's still beautiful as always!" Noriko added, which caused Mitsuko to smile as well.

"Thank you, Noriko, for the warm compliment. Nobuyuki and Yoko are also in the play in case you didn't know." Mitsuko said.

"Don't worry, my wife and I read the playbill together. Our daughter's in there, too." Shuya said.

"Well, ain't that a coicidence! Our son Kenichi's in the play also!" Shinji Mimura exclaimed with a small grin as he arrived with his wife, Takako Mimura in tow.

"You are certainly fabulous, Takako. Where'd you get the dress?" Noriko asked.

"Oh, I got it from Versace. Love it?" Takako asked, flaunting her athletic figure in the body-hugging dark red dress.

"Of course. It looks gorgeous on you. Say, have you guys heard of the upcoming class reunion in a couple of weeks? I'm really excited!" Noriko said.

"Indeed." A voice replied, and it belonged to Hiroki Sugimura, his wife Kayoko Sugimura clinging at his arm with a bright smile.

"Our little Eiji is going to be so cute when he sneezes!" Kayoko gushed, earning a nod and a smile from her husband.

"Pardon me, you guys! The play's gonna start any minute!" Yoshitoki Kuninobu called out and hugged Shuya as he added, "Hey, good buddy! It's really good to see you again! How's Noriko and Little Ryoko?"

Yoshitoki had always called Shuya and Noriko's daughter Little Ryoko, and had always nicknamed Ryoko Anno, their caretaker from the orphanage Big Ryoko, and both girls had been very friendly the moment her parents introduced her to the older woman. The older Ryoko had always took care of the younger Ryoko, leaving Yoshimi Kuramoto to watch over the kids at the orphanage, whenever Shuya was out on a concert and or Noriko was cooking or presenting her new recipes to the resturaunt she was working at: Petit Four.

"Oh, they're both doing fine. Y'know, you and your wife's daughter are in the play, too." Shuya replied, making Noriko and Ryoko smile.

"Do you think Miwako would make a good Dopey?" Megumi Kuninobu asked as she walked towards Yoshitoki and the others. She had certainly looked much more of a grown up since the years went by.

"Of course! Don't you worry, Megu." Yoshitoki replied with a smile.

Shuya also noticed Kyoichi and Satomi Motobuchi, and waved towards them.

Kyoichi soon walked towards Shuya and said, "My goodness, you've have grown along with our old classmates." with a smile, Satomi following close behind him.

"It's really good to see you again." Satomi added, also smiling towards the others.

"I know. Looking forward to the class reunion in a few weeks?" Noriko asked.

"Of course. I'm quite honored to reunite with everyone else from thirteen years ago, even Yukie and the other girls." Satomi replied.

And speaking of Yukie Kawada, Noriko glanced towards her and her husband, Shogo Kawada. Yukie also noticed her and asked Shogo, "Do you mind if we can talk to Noriko and her friends? I can tell they've grown up."

Shogo nodded and replied, "Okay. Let's go meet them." before they went towards Shuya.

With a small smile, Shogo offered Shuya his hand to shake, which he accepted. Yukie gave Noriko a hug and said, "It's been a while! How have you been, Noriko?"

"Oh, Yukie! It's so good to see you again after all these years!" Noriko exclaimed as they exchanged friendly kisses and giggled.

"You know our kids are in the play, too? So is Kyoichi and Satomi's daughter Atsuko and even Shogo and Yukie's son Ryoichi." A voice said. It belonged to Sakura Yamamoto and her husband Kazuhiko Yamamoto.

"It's quite an honor to be coming to our kids's school play, right, dear?" Kazuhiko asked as he kissed her on the cheek, making her chuckle and reply with, "Of course."

"Well, I guess we should get to our seats, the play's about to start!" Shuya replied, and everyone soon parted ways and headed towards whichever seats they could find.

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The play would eventually come to a satisfying and happy ending.

Ryoko Nanahara, decked out as Snow White, was lying on a small table meant to look like a glass casket. The seven dwarfs, played by the following - Kenichi Mimura, Ryoichi Kawada, Nami Yamamoto, Junpei Yamamoto, Atsuko Motobuchi, Eiji Sugimura and Miwako Kuninobu - were huddled near the casket, mourning the death of their caretaker.

However, there was hope as the prince, played by none other than Nobuyuki Kiriyama, came towards the glass casket and leaned in to kiss Snow White on the lips lightly. She awoke, and the dwarves cheered and celebrated as she was carried away by the prince towards the castle, bidding her small friends farewell.

Everyone in the auditorium stood up and cheered as the entire cast, including Nobuyuki's sister Yoko Kiriyama as the wicked stepmother, bowed before the applause of their parents as well other families and the teaching staff. Once the play has concluded, everyone was ready to go home.

"So, we'll see you and everyone else in a few weeks? This is going to be best class reunion ever!" Shuya asked Yoshitoki.

"Of course! You know it! See ya!" Yoshitoki said before he got into his car with Megumi and Miwako.

Everyone else, including Kazuo and Mitsuko and their kids Nobuyuki and Yoko were whisked off in the cars of their choice, and in the Kiriyamas' case, a limousine. Shuya, Noriko and Little Ryoko also returned home in a stylish car that he bought for one of his past birthdays, and as Ryoko was fallen asleep in her room.

Shuya went towards Noriko, scooped her up in his arms bride and groom style, and entered their bedroom together, closing the door behind them.

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The plot thickens sooner or later in the next chapter, so feel free to review me anytime! See you soon!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	3. An Unexpected Encounter

Author's note: Thanks for waiting! The plot thickens as Shuya encounters a certain female classmate from the past. Read on to find out who it is! ^_^

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Chapter 2: An Unexpected Encounter**

As Shuya sipped his coffee and watched the news in the coffee shop, he sighed in content as he also looked out the window. Today was sunny, with a chance of cloudy skies, but it was still a beautiful day to be out and about.

Since it was a Sunday, and with the class reunion in two weeks, Shuya was ecstastic about meeting old and new friends, as well as reminicing about the fateful class trip that led to love and happiness for most of the students. Suddenly, he heard the bell ring, a sign that someone has just entered the coffee shop.

That particular person was a woman, no doubt, with her slightly shoulder length brown hair and beautiful eyes, she seemed so familiar. Shuya could tell that the girl was none other than Yuko Sakaki, who didn't hook with any of the other male students due to being shy and nervous towards them whenever it came to being romantically involved, yet was kind and friendly towards them at the same time.

Upon enrolling in high school, Yuko managed to come across a fellow classmate who had apparently also grew into a full-fledged adult. He was none other than Miyazaki's son, the handsome and noble Keiji Miyazaki.

Although they were friends, she never had the courage to admit her feelings towards him, and after graduating from school and college, as well as rallying against domestic violence, Yuko knew that she needed to find someone to love...but who?

Shuya asked, "Hey, it's been a while, right, Yuko?" causing Yuko to notice and smile before she nodded and went over towards his table.

"Yes, Shuya. It has been a long while since we last met one another...on graduation day in junior high...I'll never forget that." Yuko replied with a smile before she ordered some coffee as well.

"So, Yuko, how have you been doing lately?" Shuya asked her.

"Well...things are going well for the anti-domestic violence campaign. I was selected to lecture students from high school about this particular topic this week." Yuko replied as she nodded.

"Great to hear that. Did you ever romantically involved during your time spent at school?" Shuya asked, causing Yuko to blush lightly and he managed to add with, "Just curious...if you know what I mean."

Yuko thought about this briefly before she managed to reply with, "Well...not really. I know I'm shy around other guys my age, but I've been thinking about meeting someone familiar and rekindle a friendship with him as well as starting a relationship."

Shuya nodded before he said, "I understand that. Perhaps someone...like me?"

This caused Yuko to be surprised and she said, "Well...yes, I suppose. Even though I never admitted it to you, I thought I would say those three words every couple says every once in a while."

"Yeah, but..." Shuya said, before he sighed and added with, "...I'm married to Noriko."

"I know...but maybe the two of us can hang out on Tuesday at the movies. You don't even have to tell her about it. What do you say?"

Shuya thought about this before he eventually nodded and replied, "Okay...I'm up for it."

Yuko smiled before she said, "Thank you. I knew you would make me happy."

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The two then exchanged conversations concerning the other students from the past before they parted ways and Shuya left the coffee shop to practice his guitar skills in the park. This Friday, he and his band Crossface were putting on a concert and he had also managed to give his friends tickets, as his band was a popular up-and-coming rock band with ambitions and dreams.

Once he arrived, Shuya began playing his guitar for a while before someone caught his eye: It was Keiji, Miyazaki's son, who was apparently surrounded by several girls, giving them autographs as well. He was a popular actor and once starred with Takako in a popular action flick, and had the good looks and charm to prove it: short, perfectly groomed brown hair, steel grey eyes, and a smile so charming, it could make the girls swoon.

After the girls left giggling and chattering, Keiji sat on the same bench Shuya was sitting and said, "You're not bad at all. Heard you're a popular musician."

"Thanks. Crossface and I are gearing up for a concert this Friday." Shuya said, smiling brightly and causing Keiji to smile back. "I'm Shuya Nanahara, by the way, and it's an honor to meet someone who's famous." he added,

"Ah, yes. My father is, after all, giving this country a fresh start, and is planning to turn things around for us all as well." Keiji said.

"Whoa! You ARE the son of Shouichi Miyazaki? This is awesome! I never met anyone who's the son or daughter of someone who's well-respected and prestigious!" Shuya exclaimed.

Keiji chuckled before he nodded and said, "Thank you for the warm compliment. I couldn't be more happier."

The sun was almost setting, and Keiji checked his watch and said, "Oh, look at the time. I better get going. But it was great getting to know you."

Shuya nodded and said, "We'll talk again next time. I gotta get home before my wife gets worried about where I am."

Both men shook hands and then parted ways. As Shuya headed towards home, he began thinking about the odd but welcome relationship he was forming with Yuko as well as encountering and making a new friend out of Keiji.

Would it be good karma? Or bad karma? Shuya had to know.

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I'll see you real soon for the next chapter, as always. Peace out! And remember to review if you're interested!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	4. Tuesday Night

Author's note: Thanks for waiting! And speaking of the latest chapter, the next chapter will be an interlude focusing on a few of the other couples. That said, enjoy!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Chapter 3: Tuesday Night**

As Yuko put on a clean blue blouse and a long white skirt, she gazed in the mirror in her home and checked her appearance. After thirteen years, she managed to blossom quite beautifully, no more acne and other blemishes when she was younger, and aside from a pretty pair of eyes, she had soft, kissable lips, and she also managed to let her hair grow a bit.

Crossing her fingers, she managed to say to herself, "Please help me make it through this date, God." as she put on a pair of brown shoes, adjusted the headband in her hair, got her purse, and soon went out after kissing her parents goodbye.

She had been trying to help her parents, Souichirou and Kaori, try to reconcile and not divorce one another, and after a few tries since high school, it seemed to have worked.

With a bright smile, Yuko told them, "I'll be home soon. Don't worry." then went out the door to rendevous with Shuya for their secret date.

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Shuya managed to kiss his daughter goodnight and then told Noriko, "I'm gonna go get something from the store. I'll see you soon."

Noriko smiled and nodded. "Just be careful. There might be some hoodlums walking around at night, especially the Kiriyama family." she said, squeezing his hand lightly.

Shuya smiled back and soon went out. He managed to make sure she wouldn't know about his secret date with Yuko, whom he had encountered for the first time since years ago, yet he was afraid Noriko would be worried sick about where he was going.

Whatever the case, Shuya soon found Yuko near the park and asked, "You ready?"

Yuko had arrived at the park first and was sitting at a nearby bench and noticed him as well. She smiled as she stood up and replied, "Yes. I'm ready. How about you, Shuya?"

"I'm ready to go. So, what movie were you wanting to see?" Shuya told her as they began their trek towards the movie theater.

"Well...I was expecting something sweet and romantic." Yuko replied, causing Shuya to reply with, "I'm expecting something action-packed...wait! There's one!" then pointed towards a poster.

Yuko noticed and read the black bold kanji at the left of the poster: 'Zaa Enjento', or The Agent. And on top of that, the main star was Keiji Miyazaki himself!

"Shuya, I know him!" Yuko exclaimed as she looked back at Shuya.

"Really? You do?" he asked, curious as he scratched the back of his head.

"Yes...we went to the same high school together, in the same class. I had a crush on him, but I was afraid he wouldn't return the sentiment. However, we did become good friends." Yuko replied.

Shuya nodded. "I actually encountered him at the park the other day." he told her.

"You did?" Yuko asked, her eyes widening slightly in bewilderment.

"Yup. We got to know one another, and here's the fun fact about him: He's the son of the new president running our country!" Shuya said.

"Wow...I'm truly honored to meet someone who has such prestige!" Yuko said, a bright smile forming on her lips.

"So, whaddaya say? Not only does the movie have action, but there's a romantic interest for the protagonist as well." Shuya asked.

Yuko pondered about this briefly before she nodded. "Okay then. I'm with you." she said as she took his hand and the two went inside to get tickets for the movie.

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After the movie ended, Yuko was beaming as she was taking hold of one of Shuya's arms as she said, "Thank you so much for the movie. Although it was kind of scary, I was happy to know that the protagonist and the heroine had a happy ending."

Shuya smiled back and replied, "No problem." as the two headed towards the park.

Once at their destination, Yuko gazed at the stars while Shuya relaxed as he lounged on the bench. He managed to ask her, "Say, Yuko...out of me and Keiji...who do you like more?"

This caught Yuko's attention and she looked over at him and blushed lightly before she thought about it. She then replied with a small smile. "Well...Keiji is really handsome and all...but I actually like you more...because..." she said before she trailed off and a bright blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Because what?" Shuya asked curiously.

"Well...I never actually had feelings for you back at junior high, because most of the other girls had crushes on you from the start: Yukie, Yukiko, Yumiko, Noriko, it boggles my mind, so to speak. But when I moved on to high school, and then to college, and as of now, when I saw you on the cover of the latest issue of Music Rocks, I just...fell in love. I never knew how handsome you'd actually be when you grew up to be an adult now." Yuko explained.

"Wow..." Shuya said before pondering about whether to admit his secret feelings or not: if he didn't return those feelings, Yuko would be somewhat dissapointed but would understand because he was already married, but if he did so, she would be happy.

"To be honest...you look good as of now. You have such pretty eyes, a cute smile, and have that sweet demeanor that Noriko also has. So, yeah, I think I feel the same way." Shuya replied.

"You...You do?" Yuko asked, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. She couldn't help but blush even more as she smiled and said, "Thank you..." before she swallowed and then leaned over to kiss him.

It was a light one, but Shuya thought he would be able to give her a real kiss, so he leaned over towards her and slowly locked lips with hers. Yuko was surprised at first, realizing that this was her first kiss...and with someone married.

A moment later, they broke the kiss and Yuko said, "Thank you so much for the date. I'm really grateful we can talk about everything that had happened to us in the past and here in the present."

"No problem, Yuko. I'll see you later!" Shuya replied, smiling as the two parted ways to return home.

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Back at home, Noriko sighed as she was in bed alone, wondering what was taking Shuya so long. She suddenly heard a knock on the door and managed to answer the door.

"Shuya...where were you? I was so worried!" Noriko asked as she hugged him. "Well...I was actually rather busy so to speak. I didn't get anything from the store." Shuya replied.

'Thank God she didn't know about me and Yuko at the movies!' he thought to himself.

"Say, Noriko, maybe I can talk to you about this girl that I made friends with? She seems to be familiar to you as much as me." Shuya asked.

"Sure. Tomorrow after dinner, perhaps?" Noriko replied.

"You got it!" Shuya said, winking.

The two would eventually retreat to their room and get a good night's sleep until tomorrow.

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Wll Shuya try to keep his marriage with Noriko intact by admitting the truth from that fated night? Find out after the interlude! And as always, reviews are welcome.

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	5. Interlude

Author's note: Okay, ladies and gents, this is the first of the interludes that might intersperse (is that the right word?) with the main story. That said, enjoy!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Interlude Part 1**

**Yuka Nakagawa**

As the karaoke rendition of MOVE's 'Super Sonic Dance' faded out, Yuka Nakagawa couldn't help but smile and say thanks to her friends who cheered her on during her singing at the karaoke bar. After her graduation from junior high, Yuka would eventually put her skills in tennis to the test in the tennis club, and even began to exercise and get fit, eventually overcoming her huge appetite.

Now graduated from high school and college, Yuka was rather slender but athletic thanks to her hard work. Her long black hair was kept up in a ponytail with a cute yellow ribbon securing it, and she had always maintained her bright, bubbly persona.

After buying a soda with a straw, she began sipping her drink when she noticed a familiar face. It was Yuko, and she was rather concerned.

"Hey, Yuka...it's been a while since junior high, right? I actually saw you on the television the other day." Yuko asked.

"Oh, hey, Yuko! Long time no see! And yes, I was on the news that day reporting about the fashion show at the town center." Yuka said with a gleam in her eye as always.

"That's great. By the way, you look...slimmer." Yuko said, slightly surprised but happy at how Yuka changed.

"Thank you! I've been learning to curb my appetite since high school. Not to mention, there's this camerman who's the same age as me that asked me out on a date...after we became best friends of course, until one day, he poured his heart out to me, and I couldn't help but feel happy!" Yuka said.

Indeed, Yuka had came across a handsome cameraman working for the same news channel. His name was Jin Sakamoto, and he was a calm, kind young man, with short auburn hair and gleaming hazel eyes.

Jin was also taking Yuka on a date to the karaoke bar as their first date after the two admitted their feelings to one another after they became best friends the first time they met when she began her job as a reporter.

"His name's Jin, and he's a very nice guy." Yuka said as Jin suddenly came across the two of them and gave Yuka a hug. "Oh, Jin! So how did your singing go?" she asked.

"Pretty good. Say, who might you be?" Jin asked Yuko.

"I'm Yuko Sakaki. By the way, Yuka was a classmate of mine during my junior high days. And I'm also rallying an anti-domestic violence campaign." Yuko said.

"Well, that is very good to hear." Jin said with a smile.

"Now, as much as I appreciate you and Jin together...I think I got myself in a pickle after asking Shuya Nanahara out on a date...and he's married to a friend of ours, Noriko." Yuko said.

"I also have to admit, that I also had a crush on a former classmate from high school: the new president's son, Keiji Miyamoto. He's a really nice guy, and really handsome, but I was afraid of admitting my true feelings to him because he might say he was dating another girl. He's very flirtatious and popular with the girls, and I've seen him from that movie I saw with Shuya the other day." Yuko added.

"Whoa! I didn't see that coming! Well...Yuko, do you think Noriko might find out about your relationship with Shuya?" Yuka asked.

"I hope not. Maybe I can just tell her about it, and then admit that I also had another crush of my own in Keiji." Yuko replied.

"Well...be honest to the two of them, and say that although it's just a fling, you wouldn't want Shuya to break Noriko's heart." Yuka said.

Yuko smiled brightly at her words and replied, "Thank you, Yuka. I understand your words now. I hope I don't cause any ruin to the two of them."

"I hope not, either, right, Jin?" Yuka asked.

"Of course." Jin replied with a smile as he kissed her cheek, making her giggle.

After singing a tune with them and their friends, Yuko bid them goodbye before she went off on her way to visit more old friends.

"Hey, I was just wondering, though...On our next date, we can play tennis together. What do you think?" Yuka asked.

"Sure...although I'm not good at sports." Jin said.

"Don't worry! I can teach you!" Yuka said, kissing him on the cheek and making him blush and smile at the same time.

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**Kazuhiko and Sakura Yamamoto**

The quiet sounds of the waves were the only thing that the happily married Yamamoto family heard as Junpei and his younger sister Nami were playing in the shallow waters of the beach. Kazuhiko maintained his good looks after graduation from school and college, and had marveled over Sakura's beauty as well after thirteen years: she let her short hair grow, ending at mid-waist, and always in a secure updo, making her even more stunning.

"Sakura..." Kazuhiko asked as he glanced over at his wife. "I was wondering if we'd go for a stroll together."

"Of course, as long as we keep watch over our kids." Sakura replied with a smile.

"Don't worry, Mom! We'll follow you!" Nami said with a bright, cheerful smile. She was a happy-go-lucky and very bubbly young girl, while her older brother was shy yet kind-hearted.

Junpei smiled softly and nodded his approval before Kazuhiko stood up, taking Sakura's hand and helping her up before the two began walking together, with both husband and wife removing their footwear so that their bare feet could feel the cool waters.

"I remembered the time you bought me that purse when we were in school." Sakura said with a soft smile as she gazed up at her husband.

"Yes, I remember too. I knew it was expensive but since you wanted it badly I decided to buy it for you. I would never forget the smile on your face whenever you took it with you." Kazuhiko replied.

"Did you ever remember...that time on the class trip?" Kazuhiko then asked with a faint blush.

"Well...of course I do. Pity we never went all the way...until after the class trip. And that day...Valentine's Day, when I gave you some chocolates, you wanted to take me home, and it eventually led to our first time...in bed together." Sakura said, blushing as well and also smiling.

"I would never forget that day, too. And it was one month before graduation as well...and White Day, to say the least." Kazuhiko replied, nodding.

"But you know what? Every single moment I shared with you...I'll always cherish." Sakura said as she gazed into his eyes before claiming his lips in a sweet, sensual kiss before Nami's cheery voice broke the silence as she exclaimed, "Aw, Mom and Dad are so cute!"

This caused Kazuhiko and Sakura to look back at Nami, who just collected some seashells with Junpei, and both children were smiling at them. Looking back at Sakura once more, he gave her an embrace and watched the evening sunset together.

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**Yutaka and Fumiyo Seto**

The flower shop Cecile was almost ready to close with its last customer, and Fumiyo Seto was ready to close shop. Fumiyo had managed to mature quite beautifully, somehow a bit slimmer, and her pixie-like hair a little longer since she grew up.

Her husband, Yutaka Seto, on the other hand, was somehow a bit more taller, at 5 feet 6 inches, and had a more athletic build - and he was also a popular entertainer.

Just as Fumiyo was ready to leave, she suddenly saw Yutaka knock on the door, so she decided to flip the sign back to 'OPEN' and let him in, and was given a hug and a kiss as Yutaka said in his always merry voice, "Hey, Fumiyo! Don't just close up yet! I wanted to buy some flowers here."

Fumiyo noticed and smiled before she replied, "Um...sure. Very well then, what kind of flowers would you like?"

"Well...I'd like a bouquet of..." Yutaka said before he browsed the selection of various flowers before he saw a certain flower he and his wife were familiar with: roses.

"A bouquet of white roses, please!" Yutaka told Fumiyo before she replied with, "So, who are they for?"

Yutaka chuckled before he kissed her on the forehead as he said, "They're for you." causing Fumiyo's eyes to widen a bit, and she managed to smile back as she blushed brightly.

"Oh, Yutaka...you're too kind." Fumiyo said as she added, "Allright, a bouquet of white roses coming up!" Then she went to gather a bunch of white roses and make a bouquet with them before she gave it to Yutaka and he paid for it.

Then Yutaka winked before he gave the bouquet to Fumiyo, making her smile as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"You're probably the last but luckiest customer for today, Yutaka, especially since we're married to one another." she said before the two shared a kiss.

Smiling at one another, Yutaka and Fumiyo left the flower shop after she finally closed shop, and managed to return home safely.

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**Yuichiro and Chisato Takiguchi, Tadakatsu and Yumiko Hatagami and Yukiko Kitano**

"We...We won?" Yukiko Kitano exclaimed as she stood up and cheered alongside Yumiko Hatagami as Yuichiro Takiguchi and Tadakatsu Hatagami's team won their home game, earning tons of cheers from the audience.

Tadakatsu became much of a big-brother type to his teammates, while Yuichiro had the promising future of a young and gifted baseball player along with his friend. However, he still loved reading comic books and playing video games.

Yumiko still maintained her tall height, and was quite the attractive one; hell, she'd even rock a swimsuit during her volleyball matches! Her hair was longer and kept in a ponytail most of the time.

As for Yukiko, she was somehow slender and her hair was also a bit longer, and appearance-wise, she was rather cute-looking. Also in the audience was Chisato Takiguchi, and was clearly overjoyed when she discovered that her husband's team won.

Chisato looked more mature for her age as she grew to be a beautiful woman, and apparently, been more on the talkative and friendly side and considered her freckles as her charm point, which Yuichiro thought were cute. As Tadakatsu, Yuichiro and the rest of their returned to the locker room to celebrate, Yumiko couldn't help but ask to meet her husband to congratulate him.

Oddly enough, even Chisato was feeling the same way as well. With Yukiko at her side, Yumiko was the first to enter the locker and give Tadakatsu a hug.

"Congratulations on your win! I am so happy for you!" she exclaimed with a bright smile.

"Thanks, Yumiko. You're too kind." Tadakatsu replied, also smiling back. "How have you been doing in volleyball?" he asked.

"Well, we won our last game, and our next one is next Friday." Yumiko replied.

"That's good to hear." Tadakatsu said as Yukiko noticed another baseball player: the cunning shortstop Yoichi Hoshizaka.

Although slightly short-tempered, Yoichi was a loud, boisterous youth whose catchphrase was 'Baseball's in my blood', and has rather spiky light blond hair and brown eyes.

"Mr. Hoshizaka...um, is it allright if I have your autograph?" Yukiko asked curiously with a small notebook in her hands, her eyes brimming with an adorable gleam.

Yoichi noticed and said, "Hey, you're the same girl who wanted to get an autograph from me from a previous game."

"Yes...I was. Of course, I was rooting for your team at that time as always." Yukiko said.

"Well...consider this your lucky day!" Yoichi said as he took out a pen and wrote his name in the notebook paper, making her smile radiantly.

"Gee...thank you, Mr. Hoshizaka." Yukiko replied with a bright smile.

"Don't mention it." Yoichi said with a small wink and a playful smirk.

Aside from her friend as a volleyball player, Yukiko worked part-time as a baker at a bakery, where she made cakes so famous, she's known by word of mouth as 'The Cake Princess'. And aside from her career, she did had a crush on Yoichi, since Yumiko took her to a game, which was the first time she ever went to see Tadakatsu's team, and believe it or not, she nearly swooned when she first saw Yoichi's mug in their team photo.

"You know, I was wondering...can we talk at a cafe and um...do you mind?" Yukiko asked as he pressed her index fingers together with a small blush forming on her cheeks.

Yoichi was surprised at first, but chuckled as he replied with, "Sure. I don't mind at all." Yukiko couldn't help but smile as she nodded her approval.

Chisato soon entered the locker room and gave Yuichiro a big hug. "Congratulations, Yuichiro! I'm really happy you guys won." she said.

"No problem, Chisato. How's your training for the next gymnastics competition?" Yuichiro asked.

"In a few weeks. I'm really excited, but will you be able to watch me?" Chisato replied.

"Hopefully, if there's no game on that day." Yuichiro replied, making his wife smile brightly as she kissed him on the cheek.

After the celebration, both Tadakatsu and Yuichiro took their wives home, and Yoichi even took Yukiko home before he gave her a small peck on the cheek, making her giggle before they parted ways. In her heart, she was smiling because she was starting a newfound relationship which could hopefully develop into something more.

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**Kyoichi and Satomi Motobuchi**

For Kyoichi and Satomi Motobuchi, life couldn't be more pleasant. Their daughter, Atsuko, despite being rather shy and nervous, was an intelligent and resourceful young girl who had been getting good grades recently.

As Atsuko went towards her parents, both talking and having some coffee together, she managed to ask, "Mom, Dad...do you remember anyone from school?"

Satomi noticed before she replied, "Why yes, Atsuko. I was friends with Yukie Kawada and her group back in junior high. In high school, I was also given the role of chairman, which was an honor, and I made some very special friends, and despite most of the boys trying to convince me to date them, I was still faithful to your father, and after college graduation, we would marry. And another good privilege is that I'm now teaching at my alma mater."

Kyoichi chuckled before he resumed sipping his coffee. After thirteen years, he was now rather on the handsome side, and still worn his glasses, and despite being rather lanky, he had always went out for an afternoon walk with either his wife or daughter, depending on if Atsuko had homework or not.

Satomi had a more mature yet gorgeous appearance: she still worn glasses, but she was considered to be very attractive, and recieved many compliments for her good looks since high school.

"I was also given the privilege of being head of the student council and my career couldn't get any more better than that: on the anniversary of my father's passing, I made a toast to my co-workers and colleagues that I will continue to preserve my family's honor and pride." Kyoichi said.

Atsuko managed to smile softly as she nodded. "I understand. I'm glad that I asked." she said as she gave both her parents a hug, surprising Kyoichi and Satomi at first but they both smiled as they hugged her as well.

The doorbell suddenly rang, and Satomi managed to answer the door. It was Yuko as she greeted them with a smile

"Satomi, it's been a while." she said as she hugged her.

"Oh, hello there Yuko. It's really good to see you again." Satomi said as she smiled back.

"So what brings you here, Miss Sakaki?" Kyoichi asked.

"Well...I met up with Shuya Nanahara the other day and we ended up on a date...despite what happened, however, as well as my concerns about his relationship with Noriko, I'm worried about encountering Keiji Miyazaki again." Yuko explained.

"Ah, the son of a friend of Yukie's father, eh?" Kyoichi asked.

"Of course. I just got some advice from Yuka and her new boyfriend about Shuya and Noriko, but how will I be able to admit my real feelings...towards Keiji?" Yuko asked, somewhat worried.

"Well...if you told Shuya and maybe even Noriko that despite what happened on your date, you'd still be friends with them, although you might had some romantic undertones in your relationship with him. And as for Keiji...maybe you should admit to him about your memories about him in the past, and perhaps making friends with him, and if something good happens, he might like you more than a friend." Satomi said.

"Thank you. I feel much better now." Yuko said as she gave Satomi another friendly hug.

"You're quite welcome, Yuko." Satomi said, then Yuko smiled before she said her goodbyes, and also managed to strike up a conversation with Atsuko about her grades and school life before she soon went home.

"Dad...Can Miss Yuko babysit me?" Atsuko managed to ask.

"Maybe...after all, she is a friend of Satomi's from the past." Kyoichi replied with a smile, and Atsuko smiled back at her parents.

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And that concludes this interlude! Be sure to check out the next chapter for the main story soon, and be sure to review anytime!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	6. Evening Discussions

Author's note: And we're back! Will Shuya be able to tell Noriko about his secret relationship with Yuko? Find out by reading this new chapter! Oh, and there's another interlude in their too!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Chapter 4: Evening Discussions**

It was a typical evening as Shuya had dinner with Noriko and little Ryoko, who was almost finished eating so that she can do her homework.

After eating, little Ryoko smiled as she said, "I'm gonna go do my homework, Mom, Dad. Then maybe I can watch some TV with you!" and then went to her room and began doing her homework, giving Shuya and Noriko the opportunity to explain about last night.

"So you wanted to talk to me about your encounter with her?" Noriko asked as she and Shuya worked together by washing the dishes and cleaning the table together.

"Well...yeah, it was a promise, remember?" Shuya replied with a small smile as he nodded.

Both Shuya and Noriko then sat on the couch so that Shuya could start talking. "Uh...I encountered a classmate of ours from junior high...You might be surprised if she knew you, Yukie and her friends." he said.

"Really?" Noriko asked with a hint of curiousity in her voice.

"Of course. Do you know Yuko Sakaki?" Shuya asked.

This surprised Noriko at first, but she smiled and nodded as she replied with, "Of course. After all, she was part of Yukie's circle of friends. She was rather quiet and shy, though, but she has a kind, gentle personality deep down inside."

Shuya nodded before he explained, "Well...I saw her a few days ago, and we were, uh..." he then cleared his throat and then continued, "She asked me out on a date, even though she was unaware of the fact that I'm married to you, even though back in junior high, she never had a crush on me, until when she got older and saw me on the cover of a music magazine; that's when she fell in love with me at first sight."

"But I wasn't the first man she had a crush on; the truth is, back in high school, she told me she had a crush on Keiji Miyazaki, the new president's son, who is a very popular action star...but she was scared to admit her feelings to him because she was afraid that he might be dating a fellow girl his age." Shuya added.

"So, then we went out last night to see a movie which starred Keiji himself, and Yuko even told me about her role in an anti-domestic violence rally, which gladdened my heart, as well as telling me about her newfound crush on me. Now, don't freak out or anything, but we kissed, yet it was perhaps her first kiss with a guy." Shuya said.

He was expecting Noriko to be very upset and throw a pillow at him and storm out, but she seemed very surprised, as she exclaimed, "Goodness, Shuya, I didn't expect Yuko to have a crush on you! Yet it surprises me that she also has a crush on Miyazaki."

"Yeah...I think I have an idea, though: Maybe I should meet up with Yuko, and try to persuade her to go on a blind date with Keiji, and if it's a success, then maybe she can keep her crush on me a secret to Keiji." Shuya said with a smile.

Noriko pondered about it briefly before she replied, "I feel the same way, Shuya. I could talk to Miyazaki and get him on a blind date with Yuko, too."

"By the way, Noriko...if you got angry at me, then it would've damaged our wedded bliss together. Even little Ryoko might be worried about the idea of us arguing over another girl like Yuko." Shuya said.

"Well...honestly, I didn't want to be mad at you...I was very surprised about what you and Yuko did on your...date." Noriko said.

"I understand. It was a bit surprising for me as well. Yet deep down inside, I still love you, Noriko, and in spite of what happened last night, I'll never leave you for anyone else." Shuya said before he and Noriko locked lips in a sweet, chaste kiss.

After breaking the kiss, Noriko asked, "So will we get Miyazaki and Yuko on a blind date? I hope it works since she had a crush on him back in high school."

"Of course. Don't you worry." Shuya replied as Noriko smiled back.

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**Kazushi and Haruka Niida**

The backyard outside the house where Kazushi Niida and his wife of two years, the tomboy Haruka, resided was always bustling with practice sessions every once in a while. Although volleyball was her main sport, Haruka had always practiced soccer with her new husband, which was refreshing and enjoyable.

Kazushi was the star of a popular soccer team, while Haruka was in the same volleyball team as Yumiko Hatagami. It was a few months ago that Kazushi's team was in the Japanese soccer tournament, which he was ecstatic about, while Haruka and her team made plans to be the Summer Olympics.

"So...you want to lead your team to victory, right? I'm really happy for you." Haruka asked.

"Yeah, but I'm afraid we might not advance to the next round." Kazushi replied.

"Don't worry, I'll be supporting you and your team all the way. And for the Summer Olympics, my team's just dying to join in the volleyball competition. Will you watch me on TV?" Haruka said.

"Sure! You might be far away from home, but I'll always enjoy watching you play with your team." Kazushi said with a smile.

No longer arrogant and stuck-up, he had managed to become a positive and more helpful person, especially whenever it came to his team, and regardless if they won or lost a game, he'd still have a smile on his face instead of a cocky smirk. Haruka, on the other hand, no longer became avoidant of the opposite sex after her encounter with Kazushi thirteen years ago, and she was thankful that had it been not for him, she would avoid guys like the plague.

Haruka suddenly saw a glimpse of a pretty girl with shoulder-length hair and soon told her husband, "I'll be right back." She then ran over to her with a bottle of water in her hand.

Yuko noticed Haruka coming towards her and said, "Hey, Haruka. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts on Shuya and Keiji."

"Oh, really?" The tomboy asked, an eyebrow raised in curiousity.

"Yeah...even though you didn't have a crush on Shuya like I used to." Yuko replied.

"Well...I saw Shuya on one of those magazines with his band, and I couldn't help but notice how ripped he looked. Kazushi would be pretty pissed if he ever saw a guy this hot on a magazine." Haruka said with a small giggle.

"And about Keiji?" Yuko said.

"Well...there was a friend of mine from volleyball who used to know him from high school. He was a real hottie with his good looks, and he had a share of female friends every now and then, although he wouldn't admit his feelings to any of them. From what I heard, she told me you had a crush on her." Haruka explained.

"Yes...that's true." Yuko replied, nodding. "I wonder, though...if I ever come across Noriko again. I'm afraid she might be mad at me." she added, frowning slightly.

"Don't feel bad. I received a phone call from Noriko and she told me about you and Shuya, and the blind date set up with you and Keiji." Haruka said.

This surprised Yuko, her eyes widening slightly. "Oh my...um, I don't know what to say...but I hope I'll get to see him again. It has been a while since high school." she said as she blushed lightly.

Haruka fluffed Yuko's hair and smiled, but could hear Kazushi calling out to her, "Haruka! You wanna get back to practicing soccer? It's a few minutes until dinner."

The tomboy smiled before she replied, "Of course. See ya at the class reunion!" then she managed to return to her husband, and Yuko smiled, knowing full well about her fated blind date with Keiji Miyazaki.

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Will the blind date be successful? Will Yuko finally open up to her high school crush? Find out in the next chapter! And as always, reviews are welcome!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	7. The Blind Date Part 1

Author's note: To be honest, I had a lot to go through: my uncle Bobby died due to a poor heart, and more importantly, last Monday my parents went to his funeral. But now isn't the time to cry, everyone: Will the blind date turn out to be a success in the next chapter? Find out now!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Chapter 5: The Blind Date Part 1**

Keiji had recieved word from Noriko that he would be set up on a blind date with Yuko, who had a crush on him back in high school, yet he was unsure if it would turn out to be successful...or disastrous.

His father, the prestigious Shouichi Miyazaki, entered the room and noticed him as he asked, "So, my boy...whom might you expect as your date?" He had a regal appearance, clean cut black hair with a hint of gray, although he still managed a youthful appearance, and deep brown eyes that contained a lot of earnest and compassion for whomever he rubbed shoulders.

"Well...I know she was a fellow classmate from my old high school, but she was unsure of wanting to admit her feelings. I wonder if she's grown up to be a beautiful woman?" Keiji replied, lounging in his armchair as he began having flashbacks of them in high school.

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Ten years ago...

As the schoolgirls were fawning over the sight of the handsome Keiji Miyazaki, Yuko Sakaki seemed to be nervous, shy and rather awkward around the opposite sex. Both were in the same year and the same class, but she never talked to him, only greeted him with a small smile, but secretly inhabited a strong crush on him.

In fact, one day, during a tennis match between Keiji and another male student, the ball was almost out of bounds when it suddenly landed into Yuko's hands.

Walking over towards her, Keiji smiled as he said, "Thanks. I knew you'd catch it." His smile was truly stunning, something that Yuko didn't expect until she realized how handsome he was.

With a bright blush, Yuko nodded and replied, "Sure...um, no problem!" before she handed it back to him. At this point she would never forget her encounter with him on the tennis court and she became a friend of his...

...until February came around and today was Valentine's Day.

When Yuko managed to look for a particular student to give the heart-shaped box of chocolates in her hand, she swallowed nervously as she found Keiji at the courtyard.

Gathering up her courage, Yuko walked towards him and told him with a smile, "Um...here's...here's the chocolates that I wanted to give to you."

Keiji noticed and smiled back before he took the box and replied, "Thank you. I'm quite honored. Fact is, other girls were willing to give chocolate to me."

Yuko nodded. As they sat on the bench together, Yuko was fidgety and rather nervous, biting her bottom lip as she glanced towards Keiji as they ate a few chocolates together.

At this point, Yuko soon kept her gaze at Keiji, "Miyazaki...um...there's just one thing that I wanted to talk to you about..."

Keiji looked over at her and asked, "Yes...?"

"Miyazaki...I...I..." Yuko said, but blushed very brightly and soon ran off, too scared to tell him her true feelings.

Although shocked at first, Keiji couldn't help but feel a sense of concern towards her. "Does she...really like me? I'm not that sure because I'm afraid I might not feel the same way. Is it just a simple crush?" he told himself.

And on graduation day, Keiji gave Yuko a farewell hug, saying that they might see each other again in perhaps a few years or so, and told her not to cry, but smile and be happy.

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...And now ten years have passed and Keiji couldn't help but sigh as he looked towards his father.

"I...hope that she'll be happy to see me again." he replied with a wry smile.

"I thought so, Keiji. You'll do fine. Just remember to come home at ten at night." Miyazaki told him.

"Thank you." Keiji replied as he put his jacket on, got his bag and went out.

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**Toshinori and Mizuho Oda**

At the official Anime-On convention, anime otakus and enthusiasts were hanging out, laughing, showing off their costumes, and also got autographs from their favorite seiyuu. Mizuho Oda, having put on a gold leather suit of armor, a gold helmet, and matching gold boots, took out a life-like replica sword and shield and told her friends that they were ready to come out and make history.

They were none other than the Dungeon Gals clique, who were all fans of the popular Dungeon Warriors games, having put on their favorite costumes which resembled those from the game itself, and in Mizuho's case, she was a female paladin.

"I feel like I'm in a fair at a castle...it excites me, yet I'm waiting anxiously for my prince to show up!" she said with a confident smile.

Meanwhile, outside the convention, a limousine arrived at its destination and the chauffeur said, "We've arrived, sir."

"Very well. Now make sure you ask anyone if there's a spot where limousines can be parked. I don't want it to crash into another car while you're parking." a male voice replied.

The chauffeur nodded and the door opened, and the same man that was talking to his chauffeur got out and closed the door behind him, and the limousine went on its ways. He was much taller than he used to be from thirteen years ago, at five feet nine inches, and for some peculiar reason or not, he looked much more handsome, giving him the appearance of a regal celebrity.

Running a food company may or may not be easy, but it seemed as though everything was coming up roses for him.

Taking off his sunglasses, Toshinori Oda looked at the building before him and said to himself, "I'm not one for conventions, but since she's here, I may as well get in."

As he entered, he knew that he had to find a woman with slightly bobbed black hair, thus Toshinori began his search for his wife of four years. After a few minutes, he suddenly heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Toshinori! Over here!"

This caused him to look around briefly before he saw the banner for Dungeon Warriors. He ran towards the location with the banner, and found whom he was looking for.

Mizuho smiled and gave him big hug as she exclaimed, "I knew you could come, Toshinori! I was hoping the two of us would hang out together here."

"Thanks. So, uh...you came here because of this 'Dungeon Warriors' stuff, right?" Toshinori asked with a small smile.

"Of course. You know I was just wondering...maybe I can have you volunteer for the role of the prince in Anime-On's cosplay talent show, right?" Mizuho replied.

This caused Toshinori to raise an eyebrow in surprise. "Well...I guess I can take you up on that." he replied, smiling back.

"You will? Oh, thank you! I couldn't be any more excited!" Mizuho exclaimed with a bright smile.

Sometime later...

...the cosplay talent show was underway, and during one of the acts, Mizuho and her friends were looking for a prince to rescue from 'the slime warrior', and asked who would volunteer for the role of the prince. Surprisingly, everyone noticed Toshinori and the crowd was in awe as he stepped up to the stage and kissed his wife on the cheek, causing her to giggle.

"To be honest, I'm quite honored to be the prince in this act." he replied, making Mizuho smile towards him.

In the final act, Mizuho and her friends were fighting the slime warrior, which was actually a man wearing green and sporting green body paint, and standing next to him was Toshinori. When the slime warrior was defeated, the girls asked him whom he'd pick as his bride.

After considering it, he then chose the paladin...which was none other than his real-life wife herself! With a giggle and a smile, Mizuho kissed Toshinori and then gave him a big hug as the crowd cheered.

"You just made my day even more exciting!" she said, causing him to smile back as he replied, "Of course! I never knew that this was our lucky day."

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Yuko was decked out in a pretty pink dress and her hair prettied up. She couldn't help but feel nervous and anxious about seeing Keiji again.

It had been years since she last saw him on their graduation day at high school. She wondered if he was just as handsome as he was in the past.

She could possibly remember the time she tried to admit her true feelings, and regretted the time she was too nervous to do so, but managed to smile and be happy when graduation day came along, but was afraid she would never see him again in years. With a small smile, Yuko crossed her fingers and hoped for the best.

"Does Miyazaki still remember me from school? I hope he does." she said to herself as she took a small purse with her as well as putting on some lip gloss.

Bidding her parents goodbye for now, Yuko soon went to her destination where Keiji was also going to meet her: the park, where ironically, the other day, she had her first kiss thanks to Shuya.

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Will the blind date be successful? Will Yuko finally open up to her high school crush? Find out in the next chapter! And as always, reviews are welcome!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	8. The Blind Date Part 2

Author's note: Allright, guys, here it is! The second part of the previous chapter. Enjoy!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Chapter 5: The Blind Date Part 2**

At the park, Yuko and Keiji soon arrived, and to both their surprise, they looked at one another briefly before Yuko asked, "Do I know you?"

Keiji scratched the back of neck before he took in her appearance and soon smiled as he replied, "Of course. I remembered you from high school."

"You do? Then I guess it has been years since we last saw one another!" Yuko exclaimed with wide eyes and a bright smile.

"I thought so, too. Have you been doing anything since that day when you grew up?" Keiji asked.

"Well...I'm rallying an anti-domestic violence campaign. What about you?" Yuko replied.

"Couldn't be any better. Thirteen years ago, my father put an end to the tyranny and violence that was 'The Program' and began turning things around for our country: legalizing rock music, showing respect for homosexuals and same-sex couples and marriage, have otakus organize anime conventions, and even replacing the aforementioned 'show' with a news report show every 5:00 PM. As for myself, I've been a successful actor and had managed to star in some popular action films, including 'The Agent'." Keiji explained.

"Wow...I always knew that you'd have as much prestige as your father. I'm amazed." Yuko replied with a bright smile.

"Thank you. So...about this date...I'm just wondering if things will go to plan? After all, a friend of mine wanted me to see you again after all these years." Keiji said as he and Yuko began their walk towards a fancy resturaunt named 'Angelique', where they served French cuisine.

"I...hope so. Because I haven't seen you in a long while and I'm willing to get to know you more." Yuko replied with a small blush.

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**Shogo and Yukie Kawada**

With a babysitter in charge of watching their son Ryoichi, Shogo Kawada drove Yukie, his wife of five years down to where he wanted to pay his respects to a woman he loved and then lost because of the horrific consequences in the past: Keiko Onuki. As they parked near the cemetary, Shogo got out of the car first, and helped Yukie out as well.

Of course, she was carrying a bouquet of white lilies in her hands, which she bought from Fumiyo, an old friend of the past. After his marriage to her, he decided to get himself a real job, as he decided to train under the thumb of the Miyazaki family's bodyguard, simply known as 'Whirlwind', who was active in throwing over the old government.

In addition, his wife, and her family, had also maintained their strong friendship with the Miyazakis as well.

Walking towards Keiko's grave, which had a statue of her as well, was in the center of a memorial of all the deceased students from all of the previous Programs, including the final one itself, Shogo sighed as he lit up a cigarette as he told Yukie, "It does bring back memories does it, Yukie?"

"Yes...It's so tragic when you look back years ago. In fact, had it not been for Miyazaki, whom my father and their friends respected, the Program would've continued and we'd all end up dead...except one." Yukie replied, giving him the bouquet and making him smile wryly before he went towards the grave and placed the bouquet near it.

"At least she's found peace." Shogo said with a small nod as he took hold of her hand and kissed her on the forehead. "But I know that you'll always remind me of her. And that you'll always be the woman I love from now on." he added.

Yukie smiled brightly and blushed a bit when he kissed her forehead and added, "Yes. I hope so, too."

As they looked at the statue, they could notice Keiko smiling towards them as her voice called out to them from the heavens, "I give you and Yukie my blessings, and I am gladdened that the chaos is finally over."

With a small smile, Shogo nodded and gave her a small salute before took Yukie's hand as they went back towards their car.

Suddenly, as they got in, she heard her stomach rumble and then said, "Come to think of it, I'm getting a little hungry. Would you mind if we go get some dinner from that Chinese resturaunt? Ryoichi does love that kind of food, so maybe we can get some takeout for him, too."

Shogo nodded. "Of course. Anything for you, Yukie." he said with a bigger smile before he started up the car and they began their drive once more.

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As Keiji and Yuko arrived at Angelique, they managed to get a table near one of the windows, and sat down together.

A waiter would then arrive and ask, "Welcome, Mr. Miyazaki. Your father is doing well on his promises, no? And is she an aquaintance of yours?"

"My father is doing well, thank you for asking. And yes, she's a friend of mine from high school." Keiji replied with a smile, while Yuko chuckled lightly when she was mentioned.

"Very good. Now, may I take your order, Mr. Miyazaki?" the waiter said.

"I would like the basil salmon terrine. And what would you like, Yuko?" Keiji said before asking Yuko.

Yuko began to look through the menu and finally made her decision. "I'll have the same." she replied with a small smile.

"Very well. And what drinks would you like?" the waiter asked.

"White wine. And you?" Keiji said, then asked Yuko once more.

After pondering it briefly, she replied, "I'll go with white wine as well."

"Very well, then." the waiter said before he went back to work to prepare the dishes, leaving Keiji and Yuko once again alone at the table.

"You know, Yuko...you look more grown-up, and I like your choice of wardrobe: elegant, and a bit stylish." Keiji told her.

Yuko blushed and giggled. "Uh, thank you. You look amazing as well." she replied with a bright smile.

Looking around the resturaunt briefly, Keiji then told her without anyone else noticing, "You know, I used to date several other women my age, but I never married one of them as I considered myself to be a major playboy. But to be honest, I think you got something they...or perhaps a couple of them don't have: you're a very friendly, sometimes shy but very pretty young woman. And, as far I hate to embarass myself, I had been still thinking of you since high school, and that on Valentine's Day you tried to tell me how much you really felt because you were too scared that I might not feel the same way."

Yuko was taken by surprise at his words before she pressed her index fingers together and stammered, "Uh...honestly...I, um..."

Perhaps this was the chance to eventually tell him her true feelings...but could she possibly do so?

"I'm going to go outside...uh, is...is that allright?" Yuko asked as she stood up before she eventually walked out of the resturaunt.

At first, Keiji was dissapointed, but he soon began to understand that she was awkward when it came to romance, and was always shy, so he decided to go outside and find her outside the resturaunt, looking rather nervous.

"Yuko...are you allright? You seem so tense." Keiji asked.

Yuko noticed and replied, "Erm...I had been thinking of you the same way...but...I had been inhabiting deep feelings for you, and I hate to say it, but..."

With a huge blush, Yuko could only listen as Keiji told her, "It's allright. I'm in love with you, too."

She almost fainted into his arms and looked up at him before she asked, "You...you are?"

Nodding his approval, Keiji then smiled and hugged her before he checked his watch. "Come to think of it, we should hurry back in or else the waiter might think we'd left early." he said.

"Okay. I'm with you." Yuko said with a smile as she took his hand the two returned to the resturaunt hand in hand.

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Post-dinner, what shocking surprises await for Keiji and Yuko? Find out in the next chapter! And always make sure to review!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	9. The Blind Date Part 3

Author's note: Nothing new, but thanks for waiting, and although this concludes the 'Blind Date' chapter as a whole, the story's not over yet. Still, enjoy! And be sure to smell the lemony goodness in this one too, as I managed to update not only the genre for this story, but also the rating.

BTW, the song used in interlude in this one is from Lucky Star.

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Chapter 5: The Blind Date Part 3**

Keiji checked the time on his watch after he and Yuko paid for their dinner: it was 8:20 PM, and it was almost two hours before his curfew, as was perhaps hers as well.

He looked towards her and asked, "Say, Yuko...would you like to go to the park with me? That way, we can reminience on the past."

With a smile, Yuko nodded her approval. "Sure. I don't mind."

She took his hand and gazed at him with eyes glimmering with beauty thanks to the moonlight.

Smiling back, Keiji brought her to the park a few minutes or so later, and brought her to a bench, where he let her sit first, and then followed suit as he sat next to her.

"You know...I remembered when you gave me that box of chocolates on Valentine's Day back in high school. Thank you." Keiji told her with a smile.

"You're...welcome, Keiji. I'm really happy to hear that." Yuko said, smiling back.

"Now...to be honest, I had been dating other women my age, but in spite of my...conquests...with them," Keiji said, clearing his throat at the 'conquests' part. "I couldn't stop thinking of you since we graduated from high school; you've been rallying for anti-domestic violence, and I've been a successful actor, and as I like to admit it, being the son of a beacon of light and hope for the citizens in Japan." he added.

"We also decided to make amends with the United States, and they began to trust us again, and we decided that the Allied Forces would've won World War II, not just for everyone's sake, but for the sake of the hundreds of innocent people that were slaughtered by the Axis forces...well, mainly the Nazis." Keiji continued.

"In addition, my father grew up in a time where the Program was intact, and he began to question the ideas of what they done to the lives of the young students, who all had dreams for the future, ambitions, even the chance to find true love. That was when the year before he became the new president, my father knew that the daughter of one of his colleagues was on a planned graduation trip, although the old government had actually chose her class for the latest Program, and had a decoy bus driver replacing the real one." he said.

"Thus, my father led a successful rebellion and raid against the old government, and because of his good deeds and righteous actions, Kamon* had been executed by those who betrayed him, believing that he was clearly twisted and sadistic in having students kill other students. Also participating in the raid was my family's bodyguard, Whirlwind, a man gifted in stealth, ninjutsu and even infiltration." Keiji concluded.

Yuko was bewildered but smiling brightly as she exclaimed, "That's an amazing story you told me!"

Keiji smiled at her words and gently took her hand and squeezed it lightly as he replied, "Had it not been for my father, you wouldn't be sitting here next to me."

Nodding at Keiji's words, Yuko placed a small kiss on his cheek, causing him to chuckle lightly before he gazed into her eyes, leaning in to kiss her for the first time. At first, Yuko was nervous, but decided to calm herself and slowly locked lips with his.

She remembered her first kiss from Shuya, and true to her words, had kept it a secret as though to not dissapoint Keiji. Although unlike the one with Shuya, this one grew to be a bit more deeper, and it was full of not just love, but sweet passion.

After breaking the kiss, Keiji smiled as he heard Yuko ask, "When did you learn to kiss like that?"

"Well, I am a great kisser, though I made it sweet and special for you." Keiji replied, making her beam at his words.

As they sat there, looking at the moonlit sky, Keiji eventually broke the silence by asking, "You don't mind if we go somewhere? After all, we've got plenty of time to spend."

Yuko was surprised at first but shrugged and nodded her approval. "Of course...I don't seem to mind." she replied.

With a smile, Keiji took her hand and said, "I want to make this place a surprise for you, because I want to make you happy." and thus they walked towards their next destination.

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**Yoshio and Kaori Akamatsu**

"Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome...Bubblegum!"

A large crowd gathered outside the stage, anticipating the arrival of the popular all-girl idol group. Also in the crowd was a rather, and perhaps built man with short hair who had a camera in his hands, ready to take pictures of his new wife, who was the leader of the group.

Yoshio Akamatsu had managed to become more physically attractive by slimming down and had became rather handsome for the past thirteen years. He knew that he was scared that his formerly overweight physique would cause other girls to think he was ugly, but decided to turn things around and get in shape, especially after he met Kaori Minami.

The lights flashed, and four girls wearing elaborate idol dresses with their backs towards the crowd, appeared on the stage before the song started up and the girls turned around to face them.

**aimai san centi sorya puni tte koto kai? cho!**

**rapping ga seifuku...daaa furi tte kotanai puu.**

**ganbaccha yacchacha**

**sonto catch & Release gyo**

**ase (Fuu) ase (Fuu) no tanima ni Darlin' Darlin' FREEZE!**

From left to right was a pretty girl with braided light blond hair named Nami, a redhead named Junko, a pretty girl with brown hair in an updo, and a black-haired girl named Yuri. The brunette girl was rather pretty, and managed to become more self-conscious about herself as well as her appearance.

Her acne was also gone, and though she wasn't wearing glasses, she was wearing a pair of contacts. In the past, she met the other girls when they were in college and began singing together.

Yuri came up with the name 'Bubblegum', because they liked wearing pink dresses to coordinate with their idol status, and thus the idol group was born. The otaku idol, Kaori Akamatsu, as well as the other girls began dancing and singing to their song, causing the crowd to cheer.

Yoshio, who was also in the crowd, waved towards her, making her wave back with a bright smile. An hour later, the concert had ended, and the girls of Bubblegum went backstage to change.

Yoshio decided to wait until Kaori left the dressing room and talk to her. A few minutes later, Kaori emerged in her casual clothes.

"Thanks for coming to our concert, Yoshio. I'm really glad you kept your promise." Kaori told him with a smile as she hugged him.

"You're welcome, Kaori. I even took pictures of you and your friends performing. They might make it into the next issue of Idol Stars." Yoshio replied, smiling back as he looked into her eyes before he kissed her forehead.

Kaori giggled and blushed as she said, "I'm very glad to hear about that. In fact, I'm pretty sure that we'll be as popular as Flip Side!"

"I hope so, too." Yoshio replied as he took her hand and the two left the concert hall to return home together.

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Upon arriving, Keiji told Yuko, "Close your eyes and hold my hand."

She nodded and shut her eyes, still smiling in anticipation about where they would be going to. Their destination was none other than the beach, with soft, gentle waves under the night sky, and when Yuko opened her eyes, she was in complete awe and amazement.

"Keiji...it's beautiful!" Yuko exclaimed as she looked around the beach before she sat on the soft, sandy ground, letting Keiji sit next to her as well.

"I'm glad you like it, because there was one thing I wanted to tell you, and it is just for you." Keiji replied as he leaned in closer, smelling the sweet fragrance of lilies in her hair.

"Yes...what is it, Keiji?" Yuko asked curiously with a small blush.

"Although it might violate my curfew...I wouldn't mind spending some precious time with you and only you...because of us telling that we are now in love, I want to consummate this relationship with you, Yuko." Keiji said.

At first, Yuko was surprised, but blushed brightly as she nodded.

"Of course..." She smiled before she felt his lips press against hers, and smiled into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around Keiji.

Keiji began to remove his tie and then his shirt, placing the discarded articles of clothing near them. In addition, Yuko stood up and slowly removed her pink dress, and after putting it aside, she also removed her matching pink pumps, revealing her bare feet.

She was in awe of his build from the very start: he was just as muscular and built as he was in his movies, and his slightly tanned skin made him all the more handsome. As Keiji leaned in to kiss Yuko, he began to remove his shoes and ankle length socks, unbuckle his pants and placed them near the discarded clothes.

Now only in their underwear, Keiji could only watch as Yuko began to slowly remove her lace pink bra, revealing her small yet perky A-cup breasts. With a small smile, he kissed her once more as his hands gently squeezed them, making her gasp and blush even more at his actions.

As he broke the kiss, Keiji managed to get his bag and find something from it.

He took out a condom and asked, "Are you ready, Yuko?"

Yuko simply nodded before she replied, "I...I hope so. I'm a little nervous but I'm very happy." and smiled brightly.

Smiling back, Keiji nodded and began to remove his boxers, with Yuko following suit as she slowly removed her matching pink undies. Laying back on the ground, she could only watch as Keiji put on the condom and mount her with a small smile.

As he slowly entered her, he could suddenly hear Yuko gasp and bite her lower lip in discomfort. However, she looked up at Keiji and smiled as he slid into her more, knowing that he had taken her virginity at long last.

Kissing her full on the lips, Keiji wrapped his arms around her as he slowly began to thrust within her, causing Yuko to moan his name as she held him close as well. A small groan escaped his lips as he continued his slow, gentle movements within her, as he wanted her to get used to him being inside her after having deflowering her.

Now no longer feeling discomfort and pain, Yuko had let out a blissful moan as she wrapped her legs around him, giving him more depth as they continued to make love.

"Yuko..." Keiji shuddered as began to speed up a little more, kissing Yuko again, only this time, he added some tongue to it, and went slow as though not to make her gag.

As his movements grew faster, so did Yuko's moans as they began to grow in intensity as she kept her arms around him, her nails doing its best not to dig into his skin. A minute or so later, Keiji felt the urge to climax, as did she, and leaning in to kiss her deeply, he grunted as he soon climaxed inside her.

Yuko followed suit, letting out a muffled moan as she came as well.

Gazing into her eyes, Keiji finally said, "I love you, Yuko." Yuko was touched at his choice of words and nodded as she replied, "I love you too, Keiji."

As the two basked in the afterglow of what was to be the beginning of a newfound romance ten years in the making, Keiji's cellphone rang inside his bag.

Quickly getting the cellphone, he asked, "Hello?" "Keiji, it's already ten, and I'm getting quite worried. Where are you?" Miyazaki asked.

"Well...I just had dinner with Yuko and...we talked on the beach, and it was a surprise for her, just so you know." Keiji replied. "I understand. You may have broke your curfew, but I won't punish you." Miyazaki said.

"Thank you..." Keiji said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Next time when I go out, I promise I won't violate my curfew like I just did." he added.

"That's my boy. I hope to see you again when you get home safely. And remember, be careful of any 'creatures of the night', as in hoodlums, gangsters and the like." Miyazaki replied.

"Thank you." Keiji said with a smile as he finished his call. "I think we should head home. What do you say?" he asked Yuko.

"Sure...I don't mind. But, thank you so much for tonight. I won't forget it." Yuko replied.

"Me neither, Yuko." Keiji replied as he kissed her once more.

Soon they got dressed, making sure there weren't any sand in them and made their way home, and luckily, they didn't come across any of the people Miyazaki mentioned to his son.

Arriving at Yuko's house, Keiji hugged her and said, "I'm glad everything turned out well for the two of us. I hope to see you soon."

Yuko smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Keiji." She hugged him back and went inside and Keiji soon made his way home also.

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Meanwhile, Shuya had paid a visit to the orphanage he once grew up in as a child, and was talking to Ryoko Anno. It had been quite a long time since he moved out and lived in a new house with Noriko and their daughter.

"...So frankly, Keiji and Yuko had these secret feelings for one another, and I've decided to set them up on a blind date." Shuya explained.

"That's great to hear! I'm quite happy to know that they might reunite and tell each other their feelings." Ryoko replied.

Suddenly, the phone rang, and Ryoko went to answer it.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Yeah, can I talk to Shuya? Is he around?" Keiji replied.

"Why of course. Shuya!" Ryoko called out towards Shuya and he went to answer it.

"Hey, Keiji! How did the date go?" he asked.

"A great success. I'm glad you let me hook up with Yuko once again. It had been ten years or so since I last saw her, and it gladdens my heart to see her all grown up after school and college." Keiji said.

"YES!" Shuya exclaimed as he grinned before he asked, "Would you mind if you can go to the class reunion with Yoshitoki and the others? They would be excited to meet someone like you."

"Of course not, I don't mind at all." Keiji replied. "Thanks. See ya soon!" Shuya said, then hung up the phone. "Did you hear that? Keiji's finally in love with Yuko!" he said as he hugged Ryoko.

Smiling back, Ryoko replied, "I'm very happy to hear, Shuya." as she returned the warm hug he gave her.

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As Shuya made his way home, Noriko had already put Little Ryoko to bed and suddenly got a phone call.

"Hello? Nanahara residence." Noriko asked.

"Noriko? Is that you?" Yuko replied, surprising Noriko and making her smile.

"Yuko! How did your blind date go?" Noriko cheerfully asked.

"It went very well, thank you for asking. I'm so delighted to see Keiji again, and also tell him how much I felt about him. Thank you, and don't forget to thank Shuya as well." Yuko replied.

Noriko's smile grew brighter as she replied, "That's great! By the way, maybe he can come to the class reunion. It would be an honor to meet someone so prestigious."

"Thank you. See you soon!" Yuko said before the phone call ended.

With a huge smile on her face, Noriko soon greeted Shuya with a warm embrace as he entered the house after meeting Ryoko.

"It worked, Shuya!" she said as she kissed him deeply.

"I'm glad to hear. If it weren't for the two of us, then they would never meet each other today." Shuya replied with a smile of his own.

As the two went to bed, they knew the blind date was a a great success. It was a night neither Keiji Miyazaki nor Yuko Sakaki would forget.

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* Or Sakamochi if you will.

Now that Yuko and Keiji found love (finally!), be sure to get a glimpse into other former Shiroiwa students' lives. See you next chapter! Don't forget to review, as usual.

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	10. Interlude Part 2

Author's note: Here's part 2 of the interludes, featuring the remainder of the couples from Shiroiwa. In fact, this chapter took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to write. With that being said, enjoy!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Interlude Part 2**

**Yoshitoki and Megumi Kuninobu**

"Did you order anything from the menu?" Yoshitoki Kuninobu asked his wife of five years.

"Yes, some coffee and some french toast." Megumi Kuninobu replied with a smile.

"How about you, Miwa?" Yoshitoki then asked Miwako, their daughter.

"Um...blueberry pancakes. I love pancakes!" Miwako Kuninobu exclaimed, smiling brightly as well.

Yoshitoki smiled at both his wife and daughter. As he grew older, he began to think that looks aren't everything, and while he may not be handsome as his friend Shuya, Megumi always complimented his appearance.

Megumi, on the other hand, had her short hair grown to mid-length, and always kept in in a low ponytail, secured by a yellow ribbon. Although she was quite pretty thirteen years ago, she actually looked more mature as the years went by, making her look more grown-up.

"So did you get any new photos at the zoo?" Yoshitoki asked.

"Yes, a couple to be exact. I took one for a baby seal and even a couple of giraffes." Megumi replied.

"That's great! I hope they appear on the next issue of Nature Magazine." Yoshitoki said with a broad smile.

"How about your show? There's going to be a special guest, right?" Megumi asked.

"Why, of course! Not to mention, he's quite popular." Yoshitoki replied.

Suddenly, both Yoshitoki and Megumi heard the ring a of bell; the door to the coffee shop had opened and two familiar faces and a small girl entered.

"Shuya! Long time no see! You sure look more grown up than I thought!" Yoshitoki exclaimed.

"Hey, Yoshitoki! So what's up? How's your family doing?" Shuya asked as he offered to sit with his friend.

"We're doing quite well, thanks for asking; Megumi's got a couple of new photos to show and I'm quite ecstatic about the latest guest on Lucky TV." Yoshitoki replied.

Noriko smiled as she shook Yoshitoki's hand and said, "You seem quite a charming person, and much more grown up, even. It's been quite a while since we last saw you and Megumi."

"Thank you so much for the compliment." Megumi replied as she smiled back.

Little Ryoko sat next to Miwako and the two girls began to chat about the recent school play and played tag together, although they wouldn't want their playful behavior to distract everyone else.

"So how's life for you and Noriko? I'm quite surprised that she ended up with you, and needless to say, I'm not angry about it." Yoshitoki asked Shuya.

"Well...we're doing well; I've got a concert coming soon, and life seems to be coming up roses for me, my wife and our daughter, Little Ryoko." Shuya replied.

Yoshitoki caught a glimpse of Little Ryoko and brought his sight back to Shuya as he said, "I remembered you naming your daughter after our caretaker from the orphanage we used to live in when we were young. That was very sweet of you to do so."

"Yeah...that way, she'll remind us of her, whom our daughter refers to as 'Big Ryoko'." Shuya said with a smile.

"As for myself, I'm actually becoming a pretty good chef, and I'm also planning to be a teacher in a culinary school soon." Noriko added.

"That's amazing! I'm becoming a pretty good photographer, having picked up some new photos from the zoo." Megumi said.

"Little Ryoko loves animals; she'll be delighted to see them!" Noriko exclaimed with a bright smile.

Megumi smiled back before Yoshitoki asked, "Hey, do you remember me pining for you back thirteen years ago, Noriko?"

Noriko was taken by surprise, and she and Megumi laughed for a moment before she replied, "Well...yes, I think I do remember. But you were in love with Megumi, right?"

"Yeah, I was. But you know, I'm gonna remain faithful to her, just you'll be faithful to Shuya, right?" Yoshitoki said.

"Of course. We even helped out Yuko when she temporarily hooked up with Shuya by setting up a blind date with Keiji Miyazaki, the son of President Miyazaki." Noriko said.

"I didn't see that coming! Good for her, it's great to know she deserves someone to love, too." Yoshitoki exclaimed with a grin.

"If you want, we can start ordering. Maybe Little Ryoko can have pancakes, too?" Shuya asked.

"Sure!" Yoshitoki replied before Little Ryoko and Miwako returned to their respective parents and were ready to have breakfast together.

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**Hiroki and Kayoko Sugimura**

A cool breeze from outside ran into the Sugimura family's dojo as a man with long brown hair in a neat ponytail was helping his son on learning to perform a kung-fu kata. He smiled, knowing that the young boy would blossom beautifully into a full-fledged martial artist in the future.

As Hiroki Sugimura helped Eiji perform a few techniques, the younger boy almost missed on the first try, but began to get used to his growing abilities. Outside the dojo, a beautiful woman with slightly shoulder length brown hair saw her husband and beamed.

Kayoko Sugimura, whom Hiroki was married to for a good seven years, had been teaching flower arranging to her fellow pupils after she managed to finally get the hang of it. In addition, she was still the bright and cheerful young woman that she was years ago.

"Eiji, dear! I made you some lunch!" Kayoko exclaimed before Eiji noticed and smiled.

"Okay, mom. I'll eat." Eiji replied before giving his father a hug and saying, "Thank you for the lessons, dad."

"No problem, Eiji." Hiroki said with a smile before Eiji went inside to eat.

Kayoko then walked towards her husband and asked, "Hey, I was wondering if you'd do me a favor...would you mind listening in?"

Hiroki helped her sit next to him and reply, "Yes, what is it, Kayoko?"

"After watching you practice your martial arts on Eiji, I was thinking...maybe you should teach me the same thing. What do you think?" Kayoko said with a smile.

This took Hiroki by surprise, but he smiled back and replied, "Well...I think I can help you, although I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Really? Thanks!" Kayoko beamed before giving Hiroki a warm embrace before standing up.

Hiroki followed suit and got Kayoko into her main stance, letting her take a deep breath before he asked, "Ready?"

"Ready!" Kayoko replied before he taught her a few punches.

At first, she seemed a bit clumsy and clueless, but began to aim her punches in the right direction. Next, Hiroki taught her how to kick, but during one of the few kicks that he was teaching her, Kayoko nearly fell to the floor.

However, Hiroki helped her up and smiled warmly towards her before Kayoko resumed her training. Before long, she began to pick up the pace in her abilities, and jumped in the air to deliver a spinning kick.

Ten minutes after being taught kung-fu for the first time, Kayoko was noticeably panting but was offered a bottle of water and said after consuming most of it, "Hiroki...thanks for the lessons! I think I'm getting the hang of it!'

"I'm glad to hear, Kayoko." Hiroki said before giving her a small kiss on the forehead.

Kayoko giggled before she hugged him with a bright smile.

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**Yoji and Yoshimi Kuramoto**

As Yoshimi Kuramoto escorted one of the children to the playground, she smiled as she looked up at the sky. Today was a beautiful sunny day, although it might rain next week according to the weather report.

No longer the delinquent that she used to be thirteen years ago, she became more focused on love, family and life instead of being out on the streets with the future wife of Kazuo Kiriyama. In addition, Yoshimi loved her job at the orphanage because she loved playing games with children, which was ironic considering that she hadn't had children with her boxer husband Yoji Kuramoto.

However, a past event would bring back memories to Yoshimi as she rubbed her stomach with a small smile. Suddenly, she saw a familiar man with short hair arriving in his car: it was Yoji, with his always broad smile and chiseled good looks.

Yoji was quite successful in his boxing career, and while he enjoyed it, he'd also consider himself a devoted husband to the woman he loved thirteen years ago.

"Yoji!" Yoshimi exclaimed as walked towards him, giving him a warm embrace before asking, "So how did your training go?"

"Pretty good, thanks for asking." Yoji replied, smiling towards her.

Yoshimi smiled back before the two went towards a bench and sat together.

"Yoji...this may seem surprising to you, but about a week ago..." she said before she made sure none of the children would hear them by looking around the playground, knowing they were busy playing and laughing together.

"Remember the time we made love a week ago, Yoji?" Yoshimi asked.

"I did, Yoshimi. Was there anything special about it?" Yoji said.

"Well...a few days after, I took a pregnancy test, and I discovered that it was blue, indicating that I'm pregnant. Yoji...I think we're gonna have a baby!" Yoshimi exclaimed before embracing her husband.

Yoji smiled broadly and said, "I'm very glad, Yoshimi. I'm just wondering, thought, if it's going to be a boy or a girl."

"I don't know...but as long I get more tests, I'm sure we'll know the baby's gender." Yoshimi said, smiling back.

The couple then shared a brief but chaste kiss before they went towards the playground and helped out one of the kids on the swings.

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**Shinji and Takako Mimura**

"...in the net, he scores the game winning shot!"

A thunderous roar ran through the crowds as Shinji Mimura threw the three-point shot into the basket on the court. His teammates were thrilled and congratulated him, as well as the fans of the team he was in.

Of course, they weren't the only ones amazed by his performance: in the crowd, a beautiful, light-haired woman managed to make her way towards Shinji and smiled as he caught her eye. Takako Mimura was perhaps a popular actress, and was even in one of Keiji's films as his co-star.

As for Shinji, whom she was married to for eight years, he and his team were very popular as well, and enjoyed moderate success. Whenever Shinji was away from home, he'd used his hacking abilities to hack into his manager's computer, use his own e-mail address and sent Takako seductive messages.

To them, making love was a mantra to them both but after having Kenichi, they made sure to use protection, just like they have before they married.

"Shinji...over here!" Takako exclaimed by waving both hands, causing Shinji to look and notice her arms in the air.

He then walked towards her through the crowd and gave her a long, passionate kiss.

However, a boy yelling, "Dad!" caused both Shinji and Takako to break the kiss and notice Kenichi running towards them.

Shinji grinned before giving his son a hug and said, "So, your mother took you to see me play, huh?"

"Of course! This is the first time I've ever seen a basketball game, dad." Kenichi replied.

"Which reminds me...maybe when you get older, I might teach ya some moves on the court. Whaddaya say, kiddo?" Shinji said.

"Sure!" Kenichi said, and hugged his father once again.

"Oh, Shinji, you know how much Kenichi loves sports! He's in his school's baseball team." Takako said as she fluffed at her son's hair, causing him to laugh.

"Yeah, he sure does. Say, did you enjoy working with Keiji?" Shinji asked Takako.

"Of course, I did, although it took me by surprise when he winked at me on set; he reminded me of you, after all." Takako replied.

"Well...how's about a little reminding you of me when we get back home?" Shinji asked.

Takako was surprised at his question, but smirked before kissing him once again. "I'd like that." she simply said.

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**Hiroshi and Izumi Kuronaga, Ryuhei Sasagawa and Sho Tsukioka**

The night was still young, and a slightly tall yet rather built man with glasses and his attractive blond wife of four years were at a local bar drinking and talking about the upcoming class reunion. As Izumi Kuronaga order herself some wine, she noticed her husband ordering a whiskey as well.

In addition, her husband was also part of the Kiriyama Family. Hiroshi Kuronaga had obtained a newly fit physique, but he still had the muscle and brute strength that would rival either Ryuhei Sasagawa or Mitsuru Numai.

Izumi, on the other hand, was much more attractive than she used to be in school, and began wearing red lipstick and painted her fingernails red, and began dressing in the most fashionable outfits, giving her the appearance of a classic beauty without being slutty.

"So, let me get this straight: there's a class reunion coming soon?" Izumi asked as she sipped her white wine.

"Yeah, and we used to be in that class. You sure it's allright for the boss, myself and the others to go? It might be a big problem for the others, as they might think we've become shady people nowadays, but at least they'll notice how grown we've become." Hiroshi replied.

With a small giggle, Izumi smiled before she heard someone call out, "Hey, Hiroshi!"

Both Hiroshi and his wife looked towards the crowd and saw a man with his long blond hair in a low ponytail, and a beautiful, statuesque woman with short black hair accompanying him. That man was none other than Ryuhei himself, and he brought his wife of three years with him.

Her name was Risa Yamazaki, and she was a popular fashion model. As time went by, Ryuhei was grateful to Kazuo Kiriyama for keeping an eye on his own brother, and as he matured along with him, he knew that 'the siblings that fight together, stay together.'

"Allow me to introduce to you my high school sweetheart, now my beautiful wife. Her name's Risa." Ryuhei told Hiroshi.

"Hello." Risa said with a wink.

"Well, now. She is quite a babe, possibly a bit more stacked than Izumi." Hiroshi replied.

Izumi playfully smacked him on the head before she said, "Hey, I still have my natural B-cups, you know."

Both men laughed as Ryuhei asked, "Say, I got an idea: maybe you can swap girls for tonight, and see if you like busty women like Risa, how bout that?"

Hiroshi pondered about it briefly before he asked Izumi, "You don't mind, do you?"

"Well...never engaged in swapping before, but what the hell. But as long as you still love me, Hiroshi." Izumi said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Sure. Let's do this." Hiroshi said as he high fived Ryuhei.

However, another familiar face arrived with his 'girlfiend'.

"Hiroshi! Ryuhei! I just love hanging out at clubs with you guys! Hey, have you ever met my wife before?" Sho Tsukioka asked, all decked out in the fanciest clothes.

Sho had become a force to be reckoned with along with Kazuo and Mitsuru, and although he was at first glance, flamboyant and happy-go-lucky, he still had a narcissistic streak, and claimed that he and his 'wife' were the most beautiful couple in the town, and was occasionally nicknamed a 'badass' by Mitsuru.

"Lemme guess, you're now bisexual, is that true?" Ryuhei asked.

"Nope." Sho replied.

"Then this wife of yours is...?" Hiroshi asked, rather confused at the supposed woman's feminine appearance.

"Hello? She's a he, and he's always dressed himself as a woman. After all, he's gay, just like myself. Remember how that Miyazaki fellow allowed homosexuals to marry each other as well?" Sho told them as the crossdressing 'woman' snuggled next to him.

Getting a closer look, despite the long red hair, long legs, sexy body and smoldering gaze, Ryuhei and Hiroshi eventually confirmed that it was indeed a man.

"Good to know. Say, what's her...I mean, his name?" Hiroshi asked.

"It's Kazuki. Gorgeous name, isn't it?" Sho replied.

"Hi there!" Kazuki said with a playful smile as he blew a kiss towards the duo.

"Yeah, sounds like a fascinating name to us." Ryuhei replied. "Which reminds me, would you guys mind if I join in on your swapping rituals?" Sho asked.

Both Hiroshi and Ryuhei were taken by surprise as the glasses-wearing man replied, "Uh...Ryuhei and I aren't bisexual, but we'll make you a deal: The four of us, including myself, will be goin' at it, but the two of you can watch, but please don't try and ogle the two of us while we're busy."

"Oh, my! That actually sounds kind of fun." Sho exclaimed with a huge grin.

"Well, come on, let's go crash a hotel or somewhere private; definitely not our boss's home, because he'd got his kids there." Ryuhei said, giving Hiroshi a high five before the six adults left the bar.

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**Mitsuru Numai and Hirono Shimizu**

As for Mitsuru, he was out on the town at another bar with his long-time girlfriend, Hirono Shimizu. A right hand man of Kazuo's, he considered himself to be a teacher to younger, fresh new members of the Family, which included Ryuhei's brother.

Hirono, on the other hand, was a former member of Mitsuko's street gang from junior high, and managed to form her own street gang: the Scarlet Devils.

"You're looking quite attractive tonight." Mitsuru told her with a small grin while taking a sip of his favorite beer.

"Why thanks. You're not so bad yourself. I bet the girls would go crazy over you, since you're still single like I am, but I really wouldn't consider marriage at this very moment. How about you?" Hirono replied.

"Me neither. But you know, maybe we can give it a shot, although you might not be fond of having kids, like your friend Yoshimi." Mitsuru said.

"Mmmhmm..." Hirono said with a small smile before she leaned in and kissed him full on the lips, causing Mitsuru to be rather surprised at first.

However, Mitsuru grinned and kissed her deeply, and after a few drinks, they decided to leave the bar, and he offered to take Hirono home.

Suddenly, they heard a voice of another woman saying, "Hey, handsome! Why don't you take me home tonight?"

Both Mitsuru and Hirono were obviously drunk, but not too drunk, and the latter recognized the woman as a friend of hers from her gang.

"Hey, Ruri! What brings you here?" she asked with a grin.

"Nothing much. Who's your boytoy?" Ruri asked, who was also noticeably drunk.

"This is Mitsuru; he's a friend of the Kiriyama Family, and perhaps Kiriyama's right hand man." Hirono replied, wrapping one arm around Mitsuru's shoulder.

Mitsuru grinned before pulling Ruri close to him and kissing her sweetly. "Nice to meet you, Ruri. That's a gorgeous name by the way." he said.

"Why thanks, your name is quite nice too...Mitsuru...that's a manly name for someone like you." Ruri replied with a grin.

"I noticed you were flirting with him while he and I were leaving the bar. I guess you're probably horny, aren't you?" Hirono asked.

"Pretty much. Say, can I join the two of you? I would love to have a little fun of my own with your man." Ruri said.

Hirono thought about it briefly before she replied, "Hell, a threesome might not be so bad after all. Come on!" before she and Ruri took both of Mitsuru's hands, and he grinned at both girls before saying, "I'm a lucky bastard."

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**Kazuo and Mitsuko Kiriyama**

As Yoko was busy finishing her homework, using a laptop as an assistant, she took a glance towards her brother, Nobuyuki. He was, as always, doing his homework as well, and she knew that they were both confident on scoring high scores on their tests.

Although Yoko strived to be a highly intelligent individual, Nobuyuki was the more carefree sibling, and in contrast to her quiet yet soft-spoken demeanor, he was extremely upbeat and occasionally excited at times. In addition, their parents were none other than the head of the Kiriyama family, Kazuo Kiriyama, and his wife, the delinquent-turned-gravure idol Mitsuko.

A week ago, Yoko and Nobuyuki went with their parents to pay their respects to Kazuo's mother and Mitsuko's parents at the town graveyard, and clearly, it wasn't the first time Kazuo had shown sadness after his emotions were fully reawakened thanks to the woman he loved. On the other hand, Mitsuko had began counseling when thirteen years ago to get her mental, physical and emotional life in order after falling in love with Kazuo, and to this day, had become more of a person with self-respect and respect for others, no longer the girl with split personalities.

"You do know that Mom and Dad need some privacy together tonight, right?" Yoko asked.

"Of course...I wonder if they hired a babysitter?" Nobuyuki replied.

"No, not that kind of privacy. A little different kind of privacy, but I never knew much about it...much." Yoko explained.

"After all, we're just children, and when we get older...hey, do you mean romance and love?" Nobuyuki asked curiously.

Yoko was immediately surprised at his remark; she did recall giving some chocolates to a male classmate she liked, after all.

"I suppose so." she replied with a small blush.

And since she and Nobuyuki were only children, they didn't know much about love, sex and romance, but Yoko was seemingly confident that when she and her brother get older, they might learn more about it along the way. But just what were Kazuo and Mitsuko up to?

Meanwhile...

At the dining room, Mitsuko sighed happily as she drank her wine. She and Kazuo were having a private dinner together, even though Yoko and Nobuyuki were given the opportunity to eat with them, and do their homework when they were done eating with their parents.

She was much, much more beautiful as time went by, and she was even nominated for the award of "Most Popular Model" by the fashion magazine Silk. As for her husband, he was much more resourceful than before, and even maintained a stoic, calm personality, something that their daughter possessed.

"From what I have heard, you threw a party to celebrate a friend's birthday last month. Lucky for us, we had a guardian to keep watch on Yoko and Nobuyuki. In fact, Miyazaki's son was there was well." Mitsuko said.

"Indeed. However, when he asked if he borrowed a bottle of champagne for a date with one of your friends, it wasn't for free. He needs to pay 150,000 yen, and he forgot to do so." Kazuo said as they continued eating.

"Which reminds me...maybe you should call him." Mitsuko said.

"You're right. Maybe I will." Kazuo said, then went towards a sidetable with an handheld phone and dialed Keiji's home number.

...and so, at the Miyazaki residence...

Keiji knew the blind date was a great success and was happy to fully understand he found true love in Yuko. Of course, a month before the blind date, he attended a party at Kazuo's house and borrowed a bottle of champagne for a date with a former love interest.

He suddenly heard the phone ring and answered it. "Hey, this is the Miyazaki residence. This is his son Keiji." Keiji said.

"Ah, Keiji. There was some unfinished business you need to take care of." Kazuo replied.

"Sure, what's up?" Keiji asked.

"Remember the bottle of champagne you borrowed from me? You have to pay up the 150,000 yen I asked for. After all, if anyone borrows something from anyone who's notoriously famous, he or she needs to cough up the cash." Kazuo said.

"You're kidding me, right?" Keiji replied, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm not kidding. You got 48 hours to give me the money, or you won't be a regular guest at any of our banquets and parties. Understood?" Kazuo asked.

"Okay...I'll try and think about it." Keiji replied and ended the phone call.

Laying back on the bed, Keiji began to consider his plans on the money: just who will he turn to at a time like this?

...The next day...

Shuya was sipping on some coffee when the door to the coffee shop opened, revealing a familiar figure.

"Hey, Shuya, do you mind helping me out here?" Keiji asked as he adjusted his tie.

"Sure, shoot." Shuya said with a look of curiousity.

"Well...last month before I went on the blind date with Yuko, I borrowed a bottle of champagne for a date with a former flame named Tomoko. However, I forgot to give Kiriyama the money: approximately 150,000 yen." Keiji replied.

"Damn! Maybe I can help?" Shuya asked.

"Sure. Any ideas?" Keiji said, and the two immediately began coming up with a solution to the situation until Shuya imagined a light bulb on the top of his head.

"I have a plan. Maybe you can have your father give Kiriyama the money. That way, you'd be off the hook for sure." Shuya replied.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea after all. Thanks." Keiji said, shaking Shuya's hand with a broad smile.

_...That evening..._

At the Kiriyama residence, Kazuo was lounging with Mitsuko near the pool reading the evening news when the butler came in and told him, "There's a visitor wanting to see you."

"Very good. I'll answer the door." he replied before getting a robe since he was wearing a speedo while his wife was in a bikini.

Approaching the front door, Kazuo opened it and to his surprise, it was Shouichi with a warm smile, and standing next to him was Keiji.

"Mr. Kiriyama, my son convinced me to help him give you the money for the champagne that he borrowed for a date one month ago. Here." he said before Keiji gave Kazuo the 150,000 yen.

"I hope you might find the money useful; maybe even split it with the three of us." Keiji said with a broad smile.

This taken the younger man by surprise and said, "My, you and your father seem to be very helpful together in paying up. Just remember what I've told Keiji, correct, Mr. Miyazaki?"

"Ah, yes, of course." Shouichi replied, shaking Kazuo's hand. Kazuo smirked before he closed the door.

When Shouichi and Keiji returned home, Shuya called up Keiji and asked, "So how'd things go?"

"Pretty good. I gave Kazuo the 150,000 yen that he promised me to have." Keiji said.

"Great! Which reminds me, do you think he and his girl would be at the class reunion?" Shuya asked.

"Probably...let's just hope he won't cause any trouble with himself and his cronies." Keiji said, the two shared a hearty laugh before ending the phone call, thus ending the ordeal between the Miyazakis and the Kiriyamas.

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The story will soon come to a conclusion at the class reunion, so expect a wonderfully happy ending in this sequel. See you real soon, and be sure to review!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


	11. The Class Reunion & Epilogue

Author's note: At last, the conclusion to the story. Enjoy!

**Thirteen Years Later...**

**Last Chapter: The Class Reunion**

_To the alumni of Shiroiwa Junior High Class 3-B_

_You are privileged to participate in a class reunion in the very school you've grown up in._

_Expect a reunion of laughter and fond memories, and bring your friends, family or loved ones with you._

_Shiroiwa Junior High_

_Official Class Reunion for Class 3-B of 1998_

_June 9, 2011_

_6:30 PM_

Upon receiving the flyer in the mail, Shuya began reading it while Noriko entered the living room and asked, "Did you get the invitation yet?"

"Of course!" Shuya replied with a grin before Noriko ran over to read it.

After they finished reading together, Noriko said, "Can you believe it? The class reunion is tomorrow night!"

"Indeed. I'm pretty ecstatic about tomorrow, how about you?" Shuya asked.

"Me too! Hey, do you think we can bring Little Ryoko along?" Noriko replied.

"Great! But we want to make sure we bring her home at 9:00 PM." Shuya said.

"Good." Noriko said before kissing Shuya on the cheek.

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At the Kiriyama estate, Kazuo and Mitsuko were having breakfast with Nobuyuki and Yoko when they heard the doorbell ring. Although the butler wanted to answer the door, he was kind enough to allow Kazuo answer it instead.

"Yes, who is it?" he asked.

The deliverer of the flyer appeared to be a student from Shiroiwa Junior High, wearing a school uniform that Kazuo had been familiar.

"I'm a student at Shiroiwa Junior High, and it's a flyer to tomorrow's class reunion for Class 3-B of 1998." the student replied.

Kazuo took the flyer from him and smiled. "Thank you. I'll bring it to my wife." he said before seeing the student off.

As he brought the flyer to Mitsuko, they began reading it together, causing her to be quite surprised. "Isn't it ironic that my excuses for friends will be there as well?" she asked.

"But there are other classmates who've been a part of my gang for quite a long time since graduation." Kazuo replied.

Mitsuko gave him a sweet smile before kissing him on the cheek. "I'll call a babysitter to see if she can keep an eye on Nobuyuki and Yoko." she said.

However, Nobuyuki and Yoko were standing in front of them with eager eyes, causing Mitsuko to change her mind as she said, "Maybe we'd consider bringing them along."

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Usually Shinji and Takako received visitors and friends, and were surprised to find out that a student from the school they attended on their junior high days was giving out flyers to the graduates of 1998.

"A class reunion? Sweet! I can't wait to see Yutaka, and all the lovely ladies in our class again!" Shinji exclaimed with a broad grin.

"But what about me? I'm sure Niida's no longer a pervert like he used to be before he hooked up with that tomboy." Takako said.

"Hey, I bet you're as ecstatic as I am. So whaddaya waiting for? It's tomorrow night, and we want to look good." Shinji said as he wrapped his arms around Takako from behind, causing her to smile before she turned around and kissed him sweetly.

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At the dojo near the Sugimura residence, Kayoko was tending to the flower arrangements she made when she heard a knock on the door. Entering the house, and making sure to not wear shoes, since it was always customary for her family, and everyone else's to leave them in the entry hall, she answered the door and was given a flyer.

Upon reading it, Kayoko gasped and ran to find Hiroki, who was reading a book of Chinese poetry. She immediately hugged him and said, "Read this! It's tomorrow's class reunion of 1998! Isn't it great?"

Hiroki almost jumped in surprise but read the flyer anyway, and smiled at the thought of seeing Takako and her husband, after all these years. "I'm amazed...since Takako called me and said she and Shinji were bringing their son Kenichi with them, we should bring Eiji with us, too."

"After all, there's a courtyard and a playground near the school!" Kayoko said before she kissed him on the forehead with a broad smile.

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"Thank you, sir. I'm glad to know about tomorrow." Yukie said as she was given the flyer from student / delivery boy. As he left, she immediately closed the door and went to find Shogo, who was working on his motorcycle.

"I was wondering if you'll read this with me, Shogo." Yukie said as she offered a cloth to wipe his hands with, since she didn't want the flyer to be dirty.

Shogo smiled before taking the cloth and wiped his hands clean, before reading the flyer. "So...a class reunion, huh? I'm pleased about this, especially since you and Motobuchi were the chairmen of our class." he told her.

"I'm glad to hear that. He called me and said he and Satomi got the flyer as well. And so did Noriko and Shuya, Fumiyo and Yutaka, even Yuka!" Yukie said, smiling broadly.

"Hey, can I come? I want to hang out with Ryoko, Nobuyuki and my friends!" Ryoichi asked curiously as he entered the garage.

Shogo pondered about this before he nodded and replied, "Of course, as long as it's not crowded."

"Great! Thanks!" Ryoichi said before he went back to the living room to watch the kung-fu movie marathon he anticipated for the day.

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"Mom, Dad, after all these years, after mending your marriage and giving it a second chance, I want to say that I'm happy that I was at your side since I graduated from school. I love you both so much. In fact, I'm planning on moving out someday, since I've got a successful career, a wonderful romance, but there is one thing I'll always miss and never forget while I'm gone: you. Thank you."

Yuko's speech was heartwarming and tender enough to touch the hearts of her parents Souichiro and Kaori as she hugged them and said her goodbyes.

"Good luck, Yuko. You'll always be a wonderful daughter in our hearts." Kaori said as she wiped her eyes with a tissue.

"And thank you for helping me get back with your mother together again. You are an inspiration to us all." Souichiro said as he hugged her.

Yuko smiled brightly and wiped a tear from her eye before she packed up and said goodbye, looking forward to the future with the man she loved - the president's son, Keiji Miyazaki. Unexpectedly, she recieved something in the mailbox just as she was moving out.

Yuko became amazed when it was revealed to be a flyer, and that it was promoting the school reunion for 1998's class 3-B at Shiroiwa Junior High. Taking out her cellphone, Yuko knew who to call as she dialed Keiji's phone number.

At the Miyazaki residence, Keiji answered the phone in his room and asked, "Hello, Miyazaki residence. Who's there?"

"It's me, Yuko. I was wondering if you'll come with me to the class reunion at my old junior high school." Yuko replied.

"Really? Well...I don't have anything else to do tomorrow, so I'm free." Keiji said with a smile.

"Thanks, I'm glad you'd understand. See you tomorrow!" Yuko replied before they ended the phone call with their goodbyes.

Keiji smiled confidently. He took out a small red box from the dresser drawer and opened it; in it was a diamond ring.

He knew that he was destined to be with the girl he had admired and respected, as well as finding true love with her.

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The next day...

Today was the day of the class reunion and the 42 students, whose lives were saved thanks to the rebellion against Kamon*. In the vast school gym, where the basketball team always played, They all talked heartily as most of the students's children were hanging out and playing together.

The first circle of friends to greet one another were Yukie's group, and the girls were delighted to see one another after they all went their separate ways after graduation but stayed in touch by writing letters and sending emails to one another.

"It's so good to see you guys again! It's been quite a long while since I last saw each of you." Yukie said with a broad smile.

"I can tell you've become more athletic than I thought. Not to mention you lost some weight." Izumi told Yuka.

"Of course, we've even scored some cute guys and even married them...well some of us to say the least." Yuko said.

"You're telling me. Most of the guys here are quite hunky..." Haruka said.

"Really? Including Shuya?" Noriko asked.

Yuka laughed as she said, "I even heard Yuko's dating Keiji Miyazaki! She must be reeeally lucky!"

"Clearly, we're like one happy family since this class reunion was a good idea." Satomi added.

"It's also amazing to see some of us like Haruka had changed for the better, too." Fumiyo said.

"Of course! Not to mention..." Chisato replied as she beamed at the sight of Shinji and Takako talking together, causing herself and some of the other girls to giggle.

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Meanwhile, Shuya and Yoshitoki were having drinks together as the former asked, "So tell me, how's your show?"

"Well...I've got this foreigner from USA as a guest host for the next taping, and she's really good at speaking our language. You might like her! She's an actress like Mrs. Mimura." Yoshitoki replied.

"Cool, I look forward to seeing her on your show." Shuya said, smiling back.

"So, how'd the concert go?" Yoshitoki asked.

"It's a hit! I can tell we've got a tour in the USA in Crossface's future!" Shuya replied, smiling broadly.

"Great!" Yoshitoki exclaimed before he high-fived him.

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Somewhere in the gym, Mayumi Tendo, who became a successful hostess at a club, was being flirted with by one of the male teachers who was the exact age as her. She giggled at his compliment before blowing him a kiss after their conversation together.

"He's a cutie...maybe I should get his number someday." she thought to herself.

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Kyoichi and his male peers from his old class had also reunited, as he started off the conversation. "It is amazing to see you all again! I'm glad to see you're all grown up and having bright futures like myself." he said.

"Of course...I feel so nervous, yet ecstatic at the same time meeting everyone else." Yoshio said, fidgeting a bit while maintaining a small smile.

"I agree, but it's so good meeting everyone else...I hope Mimura and Seto don't mind talking to me." Keita Iijima, who became a waiter at one of Shiroiwa's most popular resturaunts - Fair Lady - replied.

"It's amazing to know that Miyazaki's rebellion against the old goverment was a great success." Tatsumichi Oki, who had also became a baseball player like Tadakatsu and Yuichiro, added.

"Not to mention I have certaintly changed my opinion of every single one of you. Had it not been for Mizuho, I would've remained pessimistic." Toshinori said.

"You're damn right, Oda! I even became more kinder and more helpful towards other people, and I even helped Haruka tolerate the opposite sex, too." Kazushi added.

Kyoichi also took notice of Shogo and went over to shake his hand. "Mr. Kawada! It's so good to see you again after all these years. I'm glad to see you and Yukie have been doing well for the past ten years." he said.

"Thank you, Motobuchi. That class trip from thirteen years ago...it changed everyone's lives, did it?" Shogo replied.

"Indeed, it did. Shouichi Miyazaki is a great man who opposed the cruelty of the old government, and his rebellion was a great success. He even helped Japan mend things with the United States. And from the looks of it, he hired you as an apprentice to his bodyguard, right?" Kyoichi said.

"That's correct." Shogo replied.

"Well, good luck, and godspeed!" Kyoichi said before giving him a hug.

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Kazuo and his fellow friends of the Kiriyama Family were drinking and talking together, pleased with the atmosphere around them. He was the first to talk when he said, "Looks like everyone is having a ball here, I can clearly tell."

"True, very true. Not to mention some of the ladies here are bewitching. Didn't you bring your wife along, Ryuhei?" Hiroshi asked.

"Risa said she'd love to go to the class reunion but was busy doing a late night photo shoot. But at least I have a picture of her as the poster on my cellphone." Ryuhei replied with a broad grin.

"My sweet little Kazuki said he'll be a few minutes late. He had to...ahem...get ready." Sho added.

"So your girlfriend-whoa, I mean boyfriend's high-maintenance, huh? Does that mean he dresses as a woman?" Mitsuru asked.

Sho playfully slapped Mitsuru on the shoulder, and the quintet laughed and enjoyed their company.

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Outside, Kazuhiko and Sakura smiled together as they watched Nami, Junpei and the rest of the children play near the park. They, along with the other families made sure that they would bring them home when it was approximately 8:00 to 9:00 PM.

"I'm glad we talked to our classmates from the past. It's amazing to know that they're all grown up, have kids, good jobs, and even a wonderful future for us all." Kazuhiko said as he kissed Sakura on the cheek.

Sakura giggled before she replied, "Me too..." before the two shared a sweet, passionate kiss.

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Back in the school gym, Hirono and Yoshimi were gossipping about their love lives when Yoji approached them.

"So you must be Yoshimi's hubby, huh? Which reminds me...I could consider marrying Mitsuru, but I'm not sure if he'd agree." Hirono asked.

"Maybe you should talk to him about it next time you go out with him. He'll understand." Yoji replied.

"It worked wonders for Yoji and me, and I'm currently pregnant, too." Yoshimi said.

"You're having your first child together? Hey...I was thinking after you have him, or her, depending on the gender, maybe I can babysit the kid?" Hirono said with a smile.

"Sure!" Yoshimi replied, giving her a hug.

Hirono chuckled before she fluffed Yoshimi's hair as she said, "Best of luck to you and Yoji!"

"No hard feelings, right, Hirono?" Mitsuko asked as she walked towards Hirono and Yoshimi. Although their gang had floundered post-graduation, they did enjoy a better life pursuing their individual dreams.

"You again? So how is your new life with Kiriyama doing?" Hirono said with a small frown.

"I'm doing quite well, thank you for asking. Like I said, no hard feelings? After all, we went our separate ways and broke up our gang due to the strife we had." Mitsuko replied.

"Okay, if you say so." Hirono said as her frown was replaced with a grin before shaking Mitsuko's hand.

"Same here." Yoshimi said with a small smile.

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The Dreamers - Megumi, Mizuho and Kaori - were looking at the photo album on Megumi's cellphone.

"Wow, did you take those pictures with Kuninobu?" Kaori asked.

"Of course!" Megumi replied with a smile before asking Mizuho, "Is it allright if I pictures of you at an upcoming anime convention of some sorts? I'd love to see you interact with everyone, and how I wish I could wear a costume, too!"

"No problem! Since there will be a new Dungeon Warriors game released on the PS3 and 360, maybe you can see me as the Princess Paladin Josephine!" Mizuho said.

"Thanks!" Megumi said before Kaori said, "Um...I'm also going to be performing at the upcoming Christmas Party with the rest of Bubblegum. I hope we look forward to the future plans we may have soon!"

The girls giggled and gave each other a group hug, happy and content.

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Yumiko and Yukiko were sitting with Tadakatsu and Yuichiro talking about the upcoming baseball game the latter two were having next week.

"I hope Yoichi will score a homerun!" Yukiko said, nervous with anticipation since she had met and reunited with most of the classmates from the past.

"You can't stop thinking about Yoichi, can you? Maybe I can set the two of you up on a date sometime...if his team doesn't have a game on a particular date." Yumiko replied.

"I'm sure Chisato will be delighted if I scored a homerun, too. How about you, Tadakatsu?" Yuichiro asked.

"Of course. Maybe we'd dedicate our next homeruns to the girls we love!" Tadakatsu said.

"Cool!" Yumiko exclaimed before kissing Tadakatsu on the forehead, causing everyone else to giggle.

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"I'm starving..." Yutaka said as he began scarfing down his bowl of salad while Shinji, Takako, Kayoko and Hiroki watched, smiling with a hint of a chuckle.

"He's always a funny guy. I love how he always acts carefree and playful around us." Kayoko said.

"So you're still buddies with him, right?" Takako asked Shinji.

"Yeah, we are. Although he can get on my nerves a bit, he's still a good friend." Shinji replied.

"I'm glad to hear." Hiroki said, nodding his approval.

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"Ladies and gentlemen, one of Mr. Hayashida's students is ready to make a speech." A female teacher said before Yukie went to the podium and cleared her throat.

"I'm glad that this class reunion is perhaps the most wonderful event of our lives. In addition, for the next thirteen years after we've graduated from Shiroiwa Junior High, we've found true love, had children, and even had successful careers. It was the day from thirteen years ago that prevented us from a terrible, gruesome fate. My father was a good friend of one Shouichi Miyazaki, and he led a successful rebellion against the former government. The reason he led this rebellion was because my father was worried that my class would be next on the so called Program. Because of his efforts, Miyazaki became the new leader of a new, compassionate government, and led a bright future for us all, cancelling the Program completely, and more importantly, creating a memorial for all the students that were forced against their will to kill one another. The massacre is over, and it is now time for a dawn of a new era of unselfishness, hope and happiness."

The crowd clapped and applauded as Kyoichi approached the podium and began his speech.

"Today is the day we celebrate our class reunion from thirteen years ago, and it is with pride and dignity to raise a glass as a toast to our future, as our children will grow as perhaps shining examples of each and every single one of us, to look to a brighter future where there is no more bloodshed and mayhem. A toast!"

And the 42 students raised glasses of their favorite beverages and applauded enormously with the crowd. Yuko was checking her watch and was expecting Keiji to be here any minute, when suddenly...

"Oh my god! Is that Keiji Miyazaki?" A woman in the crowd asked.

Before everyone else knew it, the women in the crowd screamed in delight as Keiji arrived in the school gym in style, and planned to get more than just autographs from his fans; he had a surprise for Yuko as well.

"Before I get to the autographs, I have one thing to do first and foremost." Keiji said as he took Yuko's hand and brought her outside.

"I knew you'd be here. By the way, what's that small box in your hand?" Yuko asked curiously.

"Well..." Keiji said and cleared his throat before he bent on one knee and raised the small box towards her. When he opened it, Yuko was amazed: the beautiful diamond ring that he bought was glistening under the moonlight.

"Yuko Sakaki, will you marry me?" Keiji asked as he put the ring on Yuko's finger.

Yuko was speechless and eventually found the courage to say, "Yes!" and embraced him, thus solidifying the love they had harbored over the past ten years.

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In the end, Keiji and Yuko married on a bright spring day, to enjoy the sights of the cherry blossoms before them and even the beautiful white wedding gown that she worn to the wedding. In addition, she was gladdened to know she was married to royalty.

Also attending the wedding were her old classmates, including Shuya and Noriko, as their daughter, Little Ryoko, was the flower girl. "Isn't it amazing to know that even the most awkward of girls like Yuko can fall in love? Our efforts in getting them together has paid off!" Shuya asked.

"Of course, Shuya. It's kind of like a fairy tale since Miyazaki is a very wealthy man. I'm glad we were able to help them out in their time of need." Noriko said with a small chuckle.

Yuko then threw the bouquet to the crowd of her friends from school - Yukie, Chisato, Yuka, Fumiyo, Haruka, Noriko and even Izumi - and the woman to catch it was Fumiyo. Life was beautiful, even more so now that she had married the handsome man that lived the life of a bachelor, the son of the pious Shouichi Miyazaki.

And to this day, she would be known by her family and friends as Yuko Miyazaki, nee Sakaki.

~The End~

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* Or Sakamochi if you will.

Special thanks to the following:

Kawada7

SadMovie23

and everyone else who favorited both this story and TBRTNW

In addition, I may consider writing some sort of sequel to the manga version of Battle Royale (Not Blitz Royale, since it followed the movie), and who knows? Keiji might make an appearance along with some old and new characters!

Reviews and critique are welcome, and I'll see you for the next story!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy


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